Eddie Jones: England coach's new deal does not rule out Lions role in 2021

England head coach Eddie Jones' new deal does not rule him out of coaching the British and Irish Lions in South Africa, says RFU boss Steve Brown.

The Australian has signed a contract extension to remain at Twickenham until 2021 - when the Lions next tour.

But although he will still be committed to England at that point, Brown is open-minded.

"We certainly wouldn't preclude him from doing the Lions," Brown told BBC Sport.

"We are planning for success, so we would hope to come off the back of a very successful World Cup, and Eddie is likely to be one of the most successful coaches out there.

"We also have a say in that, we are a quarter shareholder in the Lions, so it would be daft of us not to consider that as an option, so that is definitely not precluded."

Jones will remain in charge of England after next year's World Cup in Japan, and then will be responsible for grooming a successor during the 2020-21 season.

And although recent Lions coaches have taken a whole year's sabbatical, Jones' gradual relinquishing of power at Twickenham may present an opportunity.

"It's a long way off now and we will deal with it at the time," Brown added.

"But the important thing is we are not precluding anything in this arrangement."

Eddie Jones has taken his team from eighth in the world to second since taking charge in 2015

'I wouldn't be arrogant enough to think that'

Jones may be free to take charge of the Lions against the Springboks, but insists his focus remains on the job in hand with England.

"The only thing I am worried about is winning the World Cup in 2019," he told BBC Sport.

"If you win the World Cup, things tend to follow from that.

"[But] I wouldn't be arrogant or presumptuous to think [the Lions] was a possibility."

Jones will be part of the selection panel to find his successor come 2021, and says working alongside the new man has "enormous potential to be successful".

He also says he is determined to give something back to English rugby over the next three and a half years.

"I could do something quite selfless here for English rugby," he added.

"I am indebted to England for the opportunity I have got, and this is a way of giving something back."