Wednesday 11 May 2016 09:16, UK
Eddie Jones says he will consider his reign a failure if he does not guide England to the top of the world rankings.
Jones has already made a significant impact on the team having taken charge after last autumn's disappointing Rugby World Cup campaign, where England became the first host nation to fail to qualify for the knockout stage.
The former Australia coach promptly oversaw England's first Grand Slam campaign for 13 years and they are now fourth in the world rankings, but he told Sky Sports News HQ the No 1 spot was his objective.
Asked if anything else represented a failure, Jones said: "100 per cent. The reason the RFU appointed me is to change the England national team.
"The resources and the number of players here demands that England should be number one.
"If I look at England and look at what they have, then there is no reason we can't be number one, and that is what we should be aiming for."
To achieve that goal, England will need to beat southern hemisphere sides consistently and they will get their first opportunity this summer when they travel to Australia for a three-Test series against the Wallabies.
Jones cannot wait to lock horns with the side he used to coach and said: "I think it is a good opportunity for us.
"It is obviously a difficult tour but we want to take the next step up. We will give it everything we have got on tour. We need to prepare well and play good rugby in Australia.
"And we want to see the stadium full of white shirts, that would be fantastic for the players."
England have won three and lost 14 of their 17 Test matches in Australia and while Jones appreciates the size of the task at hand, believes his players will build on the success of the Six Nations campaign.
"This is just the start," he said. "We have only played possibly two halves of the rugby that we are capable of.
"It is great to have these results and I am so pleased for the players and for the fans, because England had a difficult World Cup.
"The fans have now been rewarded and everyone is feeling a lot better about themselves, but the best is yet to come.
"We go to Australia and it is going to be a great learning tour for us, a first big tour for a number of our players.
"Three Tests against Australia is going to sort out the men from the boys."
