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Eddie Jones may step down if England win 2019 World Cup in Japan

MELBOURNE, AUSTRALIA - JUNE 18:  Eddie Jones, the England head coach, celebrates  after their victory during the International Test match between the Austr
Image: Eddie Jones guided England to a whitewash of Australia during the summer

Eddie Jones has hinted he would bow out at the top and quit his role as England head coach if he guides the team to World Cup glory in Japan in 2019.

Jones has won all nine games in charge since replacing Stuart Lancaster last year and could stretch that run to 13 in the forthcoming autumn internationals.

And the 56-year-old, who masterminded Japan's famous World Cup win over South Africa last year, says he is still keen to seek fresh challenges in the game.

Jones, whose contract with the RFU runs until the end of the 2019 World Cup, told the BBC: "I want to win the World Cup but once you've won the World Cup I think there's other projects you could be involved in to make the game better.

"I'm lucky to be involved in a great sport like rugby and having done something with Japan that people thought you couldn't do, I'd love to do that in another country.

"Who knows - we'll wait until end of the World Cup then we'll take it from there."

England head coach Eddie Jones issues instructions during the captain's run at Suncorp Stadium
Image: Jones has a contract with the RFU which runs until after the 2019 World Cup

England begin their autumn international campaign South Africa on November 12 before also facing Australia, Argentina and Fiji.

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Four wins would complete an unbeaten first year for Jones but, although he would enjoy achieving that aim, he insists he is more focused on building the team towards Japan.

"That [remaining unbeaten all year] is the target," added Jones. "We've put ourselves in a great position to achieve that but that would be the icing on the cake.

"What's more important is that the players keep growing, the team keeps developing, because ultimately we want to win the World Cup in 2019."

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