Betting on England job suspended, big money on Eddie Jones

Eddie Jones had strong World Cup as coach of Japan. Photo / Getty Images

Money talks - especially to bookies, who say Australian Eddie Jones will become the new England rugby coach.

Not everyone is convinced Jones will get the job.

But William Hill, one of Britain's best known bookmakers, has suspended betting on Jones after an avalanche of money came in on him. Their odds on Jones had already been slashed from 6 - 1 to 11 - 10.

Spokesman Rupert Adams said: "The gamble suggests that at the very least Eddie Jones is on a shortlist and an announcement could be imminent."

England's Rugby Football Union has already said it wants a coach with "proven international experience", and a number of high-flyers such as Australian Michael Cheika have been linked - rightly or wrongly - to the job by the media. Cheika is among those who have said they aren't interested, leaving Jones as the frontrunner.

Complicating that, Jones is contracted to be the new coach of South Africa's Stormers, who have denied he is free to leave them.

The Daily Mail says South Africa's 2007 World Cup winning coach Jake White, who coaches Montpellier, is the only candidate to declare his interest, and talks with Jones are only in the preliminary stage. The 55-year-old Jones, a former Wallabies coach, guided Japan to the remarkable upset win over South Africa at this year's World Cup.