Eddie Jones takes up two-day 'advisory role' with Hull FC

Eddie Jones is continuing his side projects in earnest with Hull FC becoming the most recent side to arouse the interest of the England head coach. The Super League side announced on Thursday that the 61-year-old will be spending two days with the club in an "advisory role" this week and will be taking an active part in training ahead of Monday's match against Catalans Dragons.

The Australian is a keen rugby league fan and this is not the first time that he has broadened his coaching horizons into rugby's kindred code. In 2019, Jones visited Warrington Wolves, where he watched training sessions with his assistants at the time, Steve Borthwick - now Leicester head coach - and Neal Hatley - now Bath head coach. Jones also wrote in his autobiography, of growing up and following the South Sydney Rabbitohs: "We are still mad-keen rugby league fans today. I can't get enough of it."

Hull FC's Australian head coach, Brett Hodgson, has also previously visited the England rugby union camp to observe the way in which Jones "interacted with his players".

The Super League club said on Twitter: "The club were delighted to welcome @EnglandRugby head coach Eddie Jones to the Jacuzzi Elite Performance Centre this morning!

"At the invitation of Brett Hodgson, Jones will be spending time with the first-team squad over the next two days in an advisory role."

Telegraph Sport revealed last month how New Zealand fly-half Beauden Barrett had been working directly with Jones at Japanese side Suntory Sungoliath in the aftermath of England’s joint-worst finish to a Six Nations campaign. Jones has held a consultancy role with Suntory, the club with which he won Japan's Top League in 2012, for over 20 years and holds a similar position for the San Diego Legion, although the extent of his involvement with the American franchise has never been fully detailed.

In Dec 2020, the RFU gave the green light for the Australian to continue in his Suntory role despite England having drawn Japan in their pool for the 2023 Rugby World Cup in France.

Earlier this year, too, the RFU played down reports that Eddie Jones was set to link up with Top 14 side Castres for a short coaching stint, following comments by the French club's newly appointed head coach, Pierre-Henry Broncan.

Broncan told L'Equipe that the two had "developed a relationship of trust", and that Jones had in the past shown him "the plan for the England team" while also recently helping to tweak Broncan's training plans with Castres.

"Eddie does not have a coaching agreement with any French team," an RFU spokesperson informed Telegraph Sport in January.

Jones's England play Tests against the USA and Canada at Twickenham on July 4 and 10 respectively while England 'A' will make its long-awaited return against their Scottish counterparts on June 27 at Welford Road.

Eleven England players have been selected for the British and Irish Lions tour to South Africa so Jones is expected to use the summer matches as an opportunity to experiment, mirroring his approach to England's 2017 tour to Argentina that clashed with the Lions' series against New Zealand. As Telegraph Sport has previously reported, England’s coaching staff are paying particular attention to Sale pair Bevan Rodd (prop) and Ewan Ashman (hooker), who both have Scottish ancestry.