England will allow Felix Jones to join Lions coaching team

The Rugby Football Union will not stand in the way of Felix Jones taking up a position on the British and Irish Lions coaching team for the tour of Australia next year.

The news comes alongside confirmation that Joe El-Abd will succeed Jones and combine his new role as England defence coach with his duties as Oyonnax director of rugby until the end of the current season.

It is understood that Jones, who will continue to work for England on a remote basis from his home in Dublin after tendering his shock resignation earlier this year, will not be allowed to join another international team if he leaves before the end of his 12-month notice period.

The Rugby Football Union will insist on a non-compete clause to avoid a repeat of the situation when Eddie Jones was appointed as head coach of Australia eight months before the start of the World Cup in France last year, just a month after he was sacked by England.

However, the RFU will not stand in his way should he receive a call-up by the Lions. Aled Walters, who also resigned as England’s head of strength and conditioning after the tour of Japan and New Zealand, is expected to be named as part of Andy Farrell’s Lions management team.

Jones will be considered among favourites for Lions coaching post

Sources have suggested that Jones, a back-to-back world champion with South Africa and a close friend of Walters, may also be in line to join him.

For now, though, he will be providing remote support to Borthwick’s set-up with an emphasis on tactical analysis and development, having already visited Premiership clubs since resigning, helping England players with individual development plans.

It is a situation that has echoes of Borthwick’s own scenario in 2020, when he was moved onto a ‘special projects’ remit under Eddie Jones upon handing in his notice, prior to becoming head coach of Leicester Tigers.

Felix Jones, who has implemented a Springboks-style blitz defence that has proved impactful on the field and popular with the England squad, is expected to be involved in a handover with El-Abd without visiting any official training camps.

The RFU announced on Thursday morning that El-Abd would be joining Borthwick’s backroom team in time for the autumn internationals, as Telegraph Sport reported earlier in the week.

El-Abd to combine duties with club role this season

El-Abd, however, will still oversee Oyonnax in Pro D2, the French second division, during that campaign and the 2025 Six Nations. Only next summer, explained the release, will El-Abd be “working exclusively” with England.

“I feel incredibly honoured to join the England coaching team, and I can’t wait to get started,” said El-Abd, a close friend of Borthwick who has spent more than a decade coaching in France between Oyonnax and Castres.

“I am excited by the direction in which this England team is headed and where they want to go under Steve’s leadership. His enthusiasm is infectious, and his vision for this team is clear.

“Defence is a huge part of the game and it’s something I’m extremely passionate about. I am excited by the opportunity to keep developing a defence that will help drive England’s success.

“I’d like to thank everyone at Oyonnax rugby, especially [president] Dougal Bendjaballah for understanding my deep desire to coach the England national team.”

England begin their autumn schedule by facing the All Blacks on November 2 before taking on South Africa, Australia and Japan on consecutive weekends.

El-Abd, who is not expected to travel back for Oyonnax fixtures during international windows, will be tasked with maintaining the impressive progress made by Jones since the beginning of this year’s Six Nations.

In what has become a position characterised by turnover, he will become the sixth England defence coach since Paul Gustard left in 2018, following John Mitchell, Anthony Siebold, Brett Hodgson, Kevin Sinfield and Felix Jones.

“I’m delighted to bring in someone with Joe’s expertise to our coaching programme,” said Borthwick.

“His knowledge, passion for the game, and proven experience in developing high-performing teams, will be key to the squad’s ongoing development.

“Joe embodies the qualities we value in the England Rugby team and I am sure he will add to our environment and quickly deliver continued improvements to our game.”