Here is your round-up of all the latest rugby news for Tuesday, December 6 - with two men dominating the headlines
Jones faces sack after RFU showdown meeting
England head coach Eddie Jones is set to be sacked today and replaced by Steve Borthwick after Wales won the tug-of-war with their big rugby rivals for Warren Gatland.
England were also keen to land Gatland and ask him to take the Red Rose through to the World Cup next year with Jones' future on the line.
READ MORE: The first Warren Gatland interview: My plans for Wales and the coaching staff decisions to come
Instead, according to reports they are turning to Leicester boss Borthwick after the RFU conducted an inquest into the dismal autumn series campaign under Jones.
The Australian has been England boss since the end of 2015, but various London newspapers report the decision on his future has already been made. They say RFU chiefs, including chief executive Bill Sweeney, held showdown talks with Jones on Monday and decided to end his seven-year reign in charge.
Jones, who won a Grand Slam in his first few months in the job before taking England to the final of the World Cup in 2019, has a win ratio of 74 per cent, which is still the highest winning percentage of any England head coach in history.
But since the last World Cup, the Red Rose have been poor, recording just two wins out of five in each of their last two Six Nations campaigns, with Jones also overseeing a dismal run of just five England wins in their last 12 Tests.
With Gatland snapped up by Wales, Leicester director of rugby Borthwick is the overwhelming favourite to replace Jones.
Borthwick worked under Jones for Japan and England before quitting the international scene to transform Leicester into Premiership champions. He is under contract at Welford Road but Leicester indicated that they would not stand in the way of the former England captain providing their compensation claim is met.
Defence coach Kevin Sinfield and head of physical performance Aled Walters could also be asked to join their boss in swapping Welford Road for the national side.
Jamie outlines Gatland's biggest challenge
Wales legend Jamie Roberts, who played 79 times under Gatland for Wales and the Lions, said the Kiwi's return for a second stint as head coach was "a real shot in the arm" for the Welsh game.
"There was a general consensus that there had to be change after the year Wales have had," Roberts told Sky Sports News. "And they've obviously gone back to Warren, who coached Wales for 12 years.
"He had an amazing success rate with Wales. I think people forget what his win percentage was: over 70 per cent in the Six Nations, 60 per cent in the Rugby World Cup. He's taken Wales to two World Cup semi-finals, and a quarter-final, so he knows the landscape of rugby so well in Wales.
"I think we'd be daft in Wales to think that the only problem in rugby is with the head coach of the national team. Problems run far deeper than that, but I guess Warren's appointment is a real shot in the arm For them to get a coach of Warren's experience and his CV, at this time, is huge for Wales.
"There's going to be change, there's no doubt about that, and it's important they use his knowledge. He's been there with Wales through good times and bad. He's got a huge job. We know what's around the corner, the Six Nations is a few months away, leading into a couple of warm-up games, leading into the biggest tournament of the lot. Wales are currently ranked ninth in the world, and they've had a disappointing year. Something had to change.
"It kind of feels like Wales are taking two steps backwards to move forward five, going back to a man who will be familiar to coaches, players, and Welsh rugby.
"It will be interesting to see whether he changes the coaches underneath him, or they remain in place. But his biggest challenge is picking the right players. Come the Six Nations, does he roll the dice with some younger players or trust the older members of his squad to take them through?"
Chiefs pay tribute to 'instrumental' Gatland
The Chiefs have issued a statement following Warren Gatland's departure from the club, saying they will "watch with interest and pride" as he returns to Wales.
Gatland returned to New Zealand in 2020 to become Head Coach of the Super Rugby side, before making the shift to become the Director of Rugby at the club.
His four-year deal with New Zealand Rugby was set to run until the end of 2023, but he has been granted an early release to return to Wales, with the opportunity to take over from Wayne Pivac "too hard for him to turn down".
Chiefs Rugby Club CEO Simon Graafhuis said: "Warren has been an instrumental part of the Chiefs Rugby Club for the past few years, and although we are disappointed to lose him he goes with our full support.
"Warren is such a great coach who has made a huge contribution to rugby in New Zealand and the northern hemisphere. You don’t coach Ireland, Wales, and the Lions as a foreigner without great coaching pedigree. Warren's significant time in the Welsh environment makes him ideally placed to get the squad to achieve their potential, and we will watch with interest and pride as one of our own helps Wales on their journey."
READ NEXT:
- Shaun Edwards reveals he'd love to coach Wales and says Warren Gatland should never have left
- South Africa international Sbu Nkosi 'located' after being reported missing
- Winners and losers as Gatland steps back into the chaos, Pivac goes with dignity and players break silence
- Wayne Pivac's final words as Wales coach as he accepts responsibility
- Warren Gatland's first words as stunning Wales return announced
- Welsh rugby players issue damning statement calling for immediate action from WRU and regions to end recruitment freeze
