Eddie Jones eyes Wilkinson after chance meeting in supermarket

Jonny Wilkinson. Photo / Dean Purcell

A chance meeting in a supermarket has England rugby coach Eddie Jones wanting World Cup winner Jonny Wilkinson to be a part of his coaching setup.

Jones says they would like to get Wilkinson involved but the former first-five is a private person and discussions are ongoing.

The Australian believes Wilkinson's professionalism and work ethic would be an asset for the England side as it looks to rebuild from its disastrous World Cup campaign.

"We'd like to get him involved, but he is quite a private person," Jones said.

"We are having chats about it. I had a coffee with him and I saw him down at Waitrose with a beanie over his head.

"After the coffee he went and did a kicking session. Why was he one of the best in the world? Because he did that.

"That's the difference. Our job is to create an environment where it encourages them to do that - we can't tell them to do it."

"A good player has that two or three per cent extra. He does that little bit of extra analysis, goes and stretches, goes for a swim and takes a bag of balls and goes and kicks.

"How many of these players do that now and that is the key going forward."

Following his retirement in 2014, Wilkinson took up a part-time coaching role with Toulon and made occasional appearances at England training camps under Stuart Lancaster.

- Radio Sport and Daily Mail