Fans disappointed over news that Eddie Jones could be leaving the Stormers

Jones, who would become England’s first overseas coach, said on Tuesday whoever succeeds Lancaster must have greater control over the country’s Test players.

I am bitterly disappointed that Eddie Jones only lasted a couple of weeks.

The RFU is understood to be finalising a compensation deal with the Stormers in Cape Town, whom Jones has only recently joined.

Jones hit the headlines during the World Cup when his Japan team pulled off the shock of the tournament as they defeated South Africa in the pool stages.

“At the World Cup we made a mistake by not selecting the best players available to us and we can’t afford to do the same with the coach now”.

Second row warrior Botha knows Jones well as a result, and he told Sky Sports News headquarters: “Eddie Jones is a phenomenal coach”.

Jones coached the Wallabies to the World Cup final in 2003 before being part of the staff of the Springboks four years later, helping them to the crown amid suggestions he’d sold out to an enemy power.

“As I have always said there are a couple of teams in the world that have the ability of getting that right and England are one of them”.

New Zealand’s Steve Hansen and fellow Kiwis Warren Gatland and Joe Schmidt, in charge of Wales and Ireland respectively, have also said they are not interested in the England job.

But Chesney does not believe Jones’ nationality should become an issue. He brought a lot of calmness into the coaching team, working together with Jake White in France. “Both Check and I had to put up with a bit of that when we played and you had to be able to fire back at opponents on the field”.

“Jones certainly comes with a CV packed with trophies and plaudits – from winning the World Cup as an assistant with South Africa in 2007 to humbling the same side with Japan this year”.

Australia captain Stephen Moore – like Botha in England to play for the Barbarians against Argentina at Twickenham on Saturday – was given his first cap by Jones in 2006. His last Australian coaching gig was with the Queensland Reds in 2007, a disastrous season that saw them take the wooden spoon and finish the year on the end of an infamous 89-point thrashing at the hands of the Bulls.

Stormers officials were today attempting to bring order to the chaos caused by England’s decision to opt for Jones.