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Eddie Jones had been confirmed as Stuart Lancaster’s successor
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He has left the Stormers without taking charge of a single match
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The 55-year-old has become the first non-English head coach of the national team
Eddie Jones has been revealed as England’s new head coach this morning after he arrived in London yesterday to discuss the vacant position with the RFU.
Ian Ritchie, the Rugby Football Union chief executive, said last week that England would seek to replace Lancaster with “proven international experience” but saw a number of other candidates fall out of the running with Jones emerging as the runaway favourite.
“I hope to build a new team that will reflect the talent that exists within the English game. I believe the future is bright for England,” Jones said.
“I’m now looking forward to working with the RFU and the players to move beyond the disappointment England suffered at the World Cup.”
Jones, who will take his first news conference at 13:00 GMT on Friday, leaves his role as head coach of South African franchise the Stormers – who he only joined in September after leading Japan in the World Cup.
His first match will be England’s Six Nations opener against Scotland at Murrayfield on 6 February.
The 55-year-old was released by Super Rugby side the Stormers without taking charge of a single match after a £100,000 compensation deal was agreed last night.
His appointment means the Australian will become the first non-English head coach of the national team.
The well-travelled coach left his role with Japan following the Rugby World Cup, in which they famously beat South Africa 34-32 in the pool stage and were incredibly unlucky not to reach the quarter-finals, becoming the first nation ever to win three group matches and not reach the knockout stages.
He also coached the Wallabies to the World Cup final in 2003 and was an assistant to Jake White when the Springboks won the 2007 tournament.