The England rugby team are on the hunt for a new head coach following the departure of Eddie Jones on Tuesday just nine months before the 2023 World Cup gets underway in France.
Jones had been in charge of England since 2016, winning three Six Nations titles in that time while also reaching the final of the 2019 World Cup. In those seven years, he was seen to have transformed the fortunes of an England team who had crashed out in the pool stage of the 2015 World Cup just before his arrival.
The RFU released a statement on Tuesday confirming his departure which comes after England were booed off the Twickenham pitch in their last match having lost to South Africa. Former Leicester Director of Rugby and member of the England coaching staff Richard Cockerill has been placed in charge of the team until a permanent coach is hired.
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Current Leicester Tigers Director of Rugby Steve Borthwick is the bookies' favourite to take the role, with Betfair giving the former England captain odds of 1/8 to take the role permanently. This comes after his transformation of the East Midlands club in recent years, culminating in a Premiership win last season.
Borthwick could also bring Kevin Sinfield with him into the England setup should he take the job, with the former Leeds Rhinos rugby league star having been widely credited for his work as defence coach at Tigers alongside Borthwick. Having been part of Eddie Jones' early success with England, and a strong relationship with stars such as Maro Itoje and Owen Farrell from his time as a player at Saracens, Borthwick has been made the favourite and would be a strong continuity option for the RFU.
he has been joined in the running by Cockerill, who is second favourite with odds of 5/1 ahead of Exeter Chiefs' Rob Baxter, who is third favourite at 10/1. An outside bet could be New Zealander Scott Robvertson, whose work with the Crusaders in Super Rugby has marked him out as one of the top coaches in world rugby and he has been given odds of 12/1.
Shaun Edwards and Andy Farrell have also been named in the list, but their current contracted roles with France and Ireland respectively see them having very long odds for a role which is one of the most appealing in world rugby. Betfair have both of those coaches' current teams ahead of England for the World Cup in the betting stakes, with the Red Rose being given a 6/1 chance of winning as fifth favourites.
Betfair spokesperson Sam Rosbottom said: “The betting suggests it’s a one-horse race for the next England coach with Steve Borthwick the clear 1/8 favourite to replace the sacked Eddie Jones.
“A poor run of form cost Jones his job as England coach and his replacement won’t have much time before the Six Nations, where England are 5/1 to win, and then things quickly roll around to a World Cup in France with the Red Roses 6/1 to triumph.”
Betfair - Next England head coach
- Steve Borthwick 1/8
- Richard Cockerill 5/1
- Rob Baxter 10/1
- Scott Robertson 12/1
- Ronan O’Gara 25/1
- Shaun Edwards 40/1
- Andy Farrel 66/1
- Paul Gustard 100/1
Betfair - Six Nations 2023 winner
- France 11/8
- Ireland 11/8
- England 5/1
- Wales 12/1
- Scotland 16/1
- Italy 500/1
Betfair - World Cup 2023 winner
- France 11/4
- New Zealand 3/1
- South Africa 4/1
- Ireland 11/2
- England 6/1
- Australia 12/1
- Wales 16/1
- Argentina 25/1
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