Dean Richards backs Rob Baxter for England job when Eddie Jones leaves

Rob Baxter guided Exeter from the second tier to become champions of England last season

Newcastle boss Dean Richards has backed Exeter counterpart Rob Baxter to be the next England head coach when Eddie Jones leaves after the Japan World Cup.

Jones, whose side are up to second in the world after 18 wins out of 19, says he will leave after the 2019 World Cup.

Baxter, 46, coached the Chiefs to last season's English title and Richards said: "He is an outstanding coach, an outstanding director of rugby in fact."

He added Baxter "is probably my tip to be the next England director of rugby".

Baxter captained Exeter for 10 years before becoming director of rugby and steering them to a maiden Premiership title last season.

He toured Argentina with England as an assistant coach to Stuart Lancaster in 2013 and has said he would be happy to see out his career with Exeter - a point recognised by Richards.

"Whether he would want it [the England job] or not is another thing," the Newcastle boss told BBC Radio 5 live.

He added: "[But] what he does add extra is absolutely brilliant and I think he's really good."

Richards, who won 48 England caps and six for the British and Irish Lions during his playing days, added he would like Australian Jones' successor to be home grown.

"I would like him to be English, yeah, but having said that I think Eddie has done a sterling job," said the former Leicester and Harlequins coach.

The Newcastle director of rugby has rebuilt his coaching career since being banned from coaching for three years following the 'Bloodgate' scandal.

But the 54-year-old ruled himself out of the running for the England job, saying: "I am not interested and I never have been. It's not my cup of tea.

"I think you have to have certain qualities to do that job and I don't have those qualities.

"I am blunt, I am very straight forward and sometimes that bluntness and straight-forwardness doesn't always give you the right outcome."

Under Richards' guidance, Newcastle are enjoying their best start to a season since they won the title two decades ago, sitting second only to Northampton on points difference and two points clear of Exeter, where they travel on Saturday.

Richards believes Baxter's Exeter - who have risen from the Devon leagues to become the champions of England over the past 30 years on a relatively modest budget - are a good model for the Falcons.

"I don't think they spend quite as little as people think they do, but having said that I think the model that he has got is absolutely fantastic and I think he has done very well," said Richards.

"I would say we are probably about three or four years behind."

Baxter was an assistant coach to former England boss Stuart Lancaster on the 2013 tour of Argentina

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