Eddie Jones says he will consider Chris Ashton for an England recall once the Saracens wing has served a 13-week suspension.
The 29-year-old Ashton has been handed his second lengthy ban of the year, having been found guilty of biting during a match against Northampton two weeks ago.
Ashton maintains his innocent but has accepted the suspension and remains hopeful of adding to his 39 caps when he returns to action.
And Jones says there is no question of him closing the door on a possible return to the side for Ashton.
"I'm not frustrated by Chris, that's the choice he's made," said Jones. "He needs to find a good restaurant in Barnet, so that he's not hungry!
"You can't endorse any sort of behaviour like that. He was found guilty and has been punished.
"I sent him a text the other day saying 'if you play well when you come back, I will consider you'."
Jones also indicated that the flankers who finished the third Test against Australia in Sydney three months ago could be retained for the visit of South Africa to Twickenham on 12 November.
Maro Itoje and Chris Robshaw played left and right as opposed to more established blindside and openside roles, after Teimana Harrison had been taken off after half an hour.
England went on to clinch a 3-0 series success and, with James Haskell currently out injured, the Itoje-Robshaw combination could well remain in place this autumn.
"It's about maximising your resources," said Jones.
"If you haven't got a George Smith or Richie McCaw but you still try to copy that system, you come unstuck, as we did in the Third Test.
"We wanted Harrison to play that sort of role and he wasn't able to do so at this stage of his career.
"We moved to Maro and Robshaw playing left and right and it worked well for us - and it's a definite possibility that Maro and Robshaw play left and right.
"The game changes all the time so you have to work out what suits your team. There is no right and wrong way.
"In football people get caught up in the systems, the formation you play, when you should use the resources of the people you have available."