The chairman of one of the English Premiership's biggest clubs says he is certain England and Eddie Jones will fail at this year's Rugby World Cup.
Exeter Chiefs chairman Tony Rowe says he has "no doubt" Jones' side will fail in their bid to win the tournament in Japan and predicts that the Australian coach may well go soon after.
And Rowe stated that England would struggle to tempt Chiefs director of rugby Rob Baxter were they to go after him as a replacement for Jones.
"You say ‘if’ [Eddie] bombs, but I have no doubt he will,” Rowe told The Rugby Paper.
"I don’t think we are strong enough. I can’t see us getting to the final so Eddie Jones may go, but I’m fairly confident that Rob [Baxter], even if he’s had that conversation, wouldn’t be tempted away.
"Rob’s had 10 years in charge and he’s been at Exeter since I arrived 1993, so that’s 26 years of his life with this team and he’s the leader.
"I don’t think he’ll jump ship halfway through."
Jones' England face France, Argentina, USA and Tonga in their World Cup pool and could potentially face Warren Gatland's Wales in the quarter-final.
The Aussie has been at the centre of controversy recently after his relationship as a consultant with Japanese side Suntory Sungoliath was revealed.
Wales had opened their doors to coaches from Sungoliath on two separate occasions last season, including a week during the successful Six Nations campaign.
Coaches from the Japanese outfit spent a week embedded in the camp, observing different coaching techniques and will have been privy to tactical details Wales were using to prepare for games.
However, the WRU were unaware of Jones' relationship with the Japanese club and have been left furious that this detail was not revealed sooner.
