Cape Town – England’s departing defence coach Paul Gustard has made two brave predictions: Eddie Jones’ men will beat the Springboks 3-0 and win next year’s Rugby World Cup in Japan.

Gustard earlier this week quit as Jones’ assistant to take up the job of head coach at English club Harlequins.

The 42-year-old leaves England with the team under pressure having lost their last three Six Nations matches.

Next month, they face a tough three-Test away series in South Africa – a place where they are yet to taste a series victory.

England also face New Zealand at Twickenham in November this year but Gustard feels they are capable of dethroning the All Blacks at next year’s global showpiece.

“I fully believe the team will continue to kick on and improve, and that on November 2, 2019 we’ll lift the World Cup,” Gustard was quoted as saying on the Stuff.co.nz website.

“There’s always change with England. It’s another opportunity for the team to grow. It’s a difficult thing to walk away from your country, of course it is, but the opportunity to do this was just too good to turn down. It’s brilliant for me.”

Gustard, who has been with England since January 2016, will take up his new post after England’s tour to South Africa.

He also predicted that England would win the series against the Springboks 3-0.

“Why not? Why think that we can’t do it?,” he added.

“We’ve got some very good players. It’s a new challenge. We want to respond after not doing ourselves justice during the Six Nations. We underperformed but we’ve looked at it, analysed it, critiqued it, red-teamed it, we’ve put it in a washing machine and tumble-dryer and brought it out again. We’ve got a different product now that we’re giving to the players. It’s different for them and from that point of view I think we’ve prepared appropriately to win 3-0.”

England’s first Test against South Africa is scheduled for Ellis Park in Johannesburg on June 9, followed by Tests in Bloemfontein (Free State Stadium, June 16) and Cape Town (Newlands, June 23).