England coach Eddie Jones arrived back in London on Monday giving little away about his future as the country’s rugby bosses prepared to begin a World Cup debrief.
The 31-strong England squad made a low-key return from their World Cup campaign in Japan, two days after their sobering 32-12 defeat by South Africa in the final in Yokohama.
There was no media access at Heathrow Airport and, although a few cheers rang out from waiting fans, there was no reaction from the players as they made their way into the arrivals hall.
Former Wallabies mentor Jones, whose long-term future is up in the air, also gave little away as he walked expressionless through the barriers.
He is contracted for another two years but RFU chief executive Bill Sweeney wants the 59-year-old Australian to commit for the next tournament in France in 2023.
“One of the first priorities …will be to sit down and have a chat. We will do it as a matter of urgency,” Sweeney said on Sunday.
“Eddie is committed to his contract through to the end of August 2021 and he is fulfilling that.
“There are a lot of emotions flying around after a game so let the dust settle a little bit and then see where his head’s at, see how he feels about it.
“But the first step is to honour that contract through to 2021 and then we’ll discuss what goes on beyond that.”
But England’s 2003 World Cup-winning centre turned pundit Will Greenwood said he expects Jones to still be in place for the 2023 World Cup.
“The coach should surely be given the opportunity do the World Cup cycle. I think it would be extremely strange if Eddie wasn’t in France in 2023,” Greenwood told Sky Sports
Plans for a victory parade through London were scrapped when Jones’ men lost to the Springboks in Saturday’s final.
The former Japan and Brumbies boss admits a number of the 31-man England squad are to be jettisoned for the Six Nations as he begins rebuilding for the next assault on the global stage.
“I tell you what happens to teams – they evolve,” said Jones in the wake of England’s Yokohama defeat.