Rugby - World Cup winner Hill appointed England team manager

LONDON (Reuters) - Former England flanker Richard Hill has been appointed senior team manager of the national side by head coach Eddie Jones, the Rugby Football Union (RFU) said on Wednesday. Hill, who won 71 caps and was a key member of England's 2003 World Cup-wining team, has worked closely with the RFU since 2014, helping to identify and nurture young talent. "It is a great honour to take up this position with the national team," the 43-year-old Hill, who was the England Saxons team manager on their tour of South Africa in June, told the RFU website (www.englandrugby.com). "These are exciting times for English rugby and I look forward to supporting the team and management in our journey to the World Cup in 2019." Hill will link up with Jones for the second time having worked with the Australian when he was director of rugby at Premiership club Saracens. "Richard is an icon of English rugby and I am very pleased he has agreed to join the England management team," Jones said. "His vast international experience and in-depth knowledge of the RFU player pathway means he's a great fit for this role in the England set-up." England, unbeaten since Jones took charge after last year's World Cup, host South Africa, Fiji, Argentina and Australia in this year's Autumn internationals. (Reporting by Shravanth Vijayakumar in Bengaluru, editing by Ed Osmond)