Eddie Jones has dismissed the role of British & Irish Lions head coach as an ‘ambassador job’ and insisted that he has no interest in taking over from Warren Gatland.

The Lions are scheduled to tour South Africa in 2021, but the team is in need of a new coach after Gatland vacated the post in 2017.

In an indirect dig at Gatland, who coached the Lions in 2013 and 2017, Jones said he would rather coach cricket than follow in the footsteps of his long-time rival.

‘The last thing I want to do is spend eight weeks in a blazer,’ Jones told The Courier-Mail newspaper in Australia.

‘That’s an ambassador job. I’m a coach. I’d rather coach the Queensland Sheffield Shield team.’

When probed about his future plans, Jones – whose term as England coach comes to an end in 2021 – did not rule out one day returning as Australia head coach.

‘I don’t think I would ever say never. One thing they (Australia) are not short of is talent,’ he said.

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