Jones is currently preparing for this year’s World Cup in Japan, having taken over as England boss following England’s embarrassing first-round exit on home soil at the 2015 edition.

His original plan was to step down after this year’s World Cup but, in a bid to aid succession planning, the RFU announced in January 2018 the experienced Australian’s deal had been extended by a further two years.

There is a reported break clause, however, in the contract which could enable former Australia and Japan coach Jones to part company with the RFU should England fail to reach the World Cup semi-finals.

But new RFU chief executive Bill Sweeney said it was now possible Jones might even stay on as Red Rose boss beyond 2021.

“Eddie has reconfirmed his commitment through to 2021,” Sweeney told reporters at Twickenham on Thursday.

“So from that perspective we’ve already started conversations around what will the structure and look of that coaching team be coming back from Japan,” he added.Sweeney’s comments came as the RFU announced England assistant coach John Mitchell had signed a new two-year contract.

It means the defence specialist, a former head coach of the All Blacks, who joined England’s set-up in 2018 will also see his deal running alongside that of Jones.

“We have extended John Mitchell’s contract through to be consistent with Eddie’s, so it goes through to June of 2021,” said Sweeney.

“It is part of Eddie’s long-term coaching structure plans,” he added.

Wales boss Warren Gatland, who will take charge of his third successive British and Irish Lions tour in 2021, has “categorically” ruled himself out of becoming England coach in the future despite persistent speculation linking the New Zealander with a move to Twickenham.

Sweeney, a former British Olympic Association chief executive, joined the RFU in a bid to reverse financial problems that led to job cuts and the eventual departure of Twickenham predecessor Steve Brown.

But Sweeney insisted: “There’s no financial crisis here.”

Cape Town – Avoid eighth like the plague.

That will be the wish of all borderline teams – there are several, including no lack of South Africans – bidding to make the cut for the Super Rugby finals series in the last round of ordinary season this weekend.

Like wishing to dodge sitting next to the severely unwashed traveller in economy class, the bottom playoffs position automatically means the occupants, for their sins, must play defending champions and nine-time title winners the Crusaders in their Christchurch stronghold.

Although they are also the only team to have a bye in the last round, which may make them only better prepped in many ways for the start of the knockout phase, the ‘Saders have completed their 16-match programme in a comfortably unassailable position at the top of the table, on 58 points.

The closest any team could come to them on the closing weekend is 54 points, should compatriots the Hurricanes earn a full house of five log points in their home tussle with the Blues.

There isn’t even much of an incentive for them to do so, as the side from Wellington, by the tournament’s controversial structural decree, will now end fourth overall come what may – they are forbidden from finishing above either of the SA and Australian conference winners (Jaguares and Brumbies respectively) regardless of the log points situation.

But seven teams also trade within a five-point radius in mid-table (fifth to 11th), leaving a particularly fierce scramble to earn wildcard tickets to the quarter-finals a week onward.

If the ordinary-season business had been completed last weekend, three strictly SA-based outfits (Bulls in fifth, Lions sixth, Stormers seventh) would have joined the Jaguares in the last eight, albeit all of the trio with unfavourable, longhaul-travel away dates.

What’s more, the Crusaders could have licked their lips at the thought of entertaining the Melbourne Rebels (as they’re currently eighth) in their first “KO” assignment: it would have been a fortnight on from last weekend’s 66-0 slaughter of the very same foes at AMI Stadium.

That may still happen, although a better bet, arguably, is that the fading Rebels, with successive damaging losses in the last two rounds, miss the cut: they entertain the still-kicking (perhaps only just, but nevertheless in-form) Chiefs on Friday.

Crossing continents again at this advanced stage of the competition is never ideal for any teams, but all of the South African sides, for example — especially with the Sharks also not out of the picture yet — would far prefer quarter-final overseas clashes with anyone but the legendary Crusaders.

Not even the supposed impediment of liberally resting All Black stars along the way has stopped their march toward yet another title this year, and now that the knockouts are around the corner (and their players all benefiting from an extra week of feet-up) the Cantabrians will no longer be charitable in team selection from here.

They are in the unique position statistically – and it provides a formidable psychological barrier to any visitors to Christchurch in the finals series – of never having lost in 21 home knockout matches in Super Rugby.

Eighth this season? Frankly, who’d want it?

Full list of home Crusaders knockout results in the competition:

2018: Crusaders 40 Sharks 10 (QF); Crusaders 30 Hurricanes 12 (SF); Crusaders 37 Lions 18 (F)

2017: Crusaders 17 Highlanders 0 (QF); Crusaders 27 Chiefs 13 (SF)

2014: Crusaders 38 Sharks 6 (SF)

2013: Crusaders 38 Reds 9 (QF)

2012: Crusaders 28 Bulls 13 (QF)

2011: Crusaders 36 Sharks 8 (QF)

2008: Crusaders 33 Hurricanes 22 (SF); Crusaders 20 Waratahs 12 (F)

2006: Crusaders 35 Bulls 15 (SF); Crusaders 19 Hurricanes 12 (F)

2005: Crusaders 47 Hurricanes 7 (SF); Crusaders 35 Waratahs 25 (F)

2004: Crusaders 27 Stormers 16 (SF)

2003: Crusaders 39 Hurricanes 16 (SF)

2002: Crusaders 34 Highlanders 23 (SF); Crusaders 31 Brumbies 13 (F)

2000: Crusaders 37 Highlanders 15 (SF)

1998: Crusaders 36 Sharks 32 (SF)

*Follow our chief writer on Twitter: @RobHouwing

Eighth seed Barty got off to a strong start and never looked back, winning 6-1, 6-3 after only 70 minutes to claim her maiden Grand Slam title.

The 23-year-old will rise to second in the world behind only Naomi Osaka when the latest rankings are released next week, after becoming the first Australian winner at Roland Garros since Margaret Court won the last of her five trophies in 1973.

She will be best-ranked Australian woman since Evonne Goolagong Cawley in 1976.

“It’s unbelievable, I’m a little bit speechless. I played the perfect match today. I’m so proud of myself and my team, it’s been a incredible two weeks,” said Barty.

“It’s a special place for Australians here. Sam (Stosur) has done well here before and come so close. It’s been a magical two weeks.”

Barty, who famously took a break from tennis to play professional cricket in 2015, struck 27 winners past an opponent riddled with nerves.

The 19-year-old Vondrousova saw her bid to become the first teenage Grand Slam champion since Maria Sharapova won the 2006 US Open come to a tame end, as the world number 38 made 22 unforced errors, against a mere 10 winners.

Almost 90 minutes after the match was due to start, the players made their way onto Court Philippe Chatrier, after Dominic Thiem’s thrilling five-set win over Novak Djokovic in the men’s semi-finals forced Barty and Vondrousova to endure a nervous wait.

The scheduling had already been criticised on Friday as a sexism row erupted when the women’s semis were moved away from the showpiece Chatrier court.

In fact, this was the first match on the premier Roland Garros arena in Vondrousova’s career, although she did have a brief practice session on Saturday morning.

The tension got the better of the Czech early on, as she double faulted to gift Barty two break points, before firing long to put her opponent 2-0 ahead.

Barty, who also reached the Australian Open quarter-finals earlier this year, consolidated the break with a confident love hold, leaving Vondrousova firmly on the back foot after only seven minutes of play.

Another break followed as Vondrousova threatened to fall apart, but she settled down and got herself on the scoreboard.

Barty quickly got back on track, and wrapped up the first set after only 29 minutes with a crunching forehand winner.

Vondrousova had it all to do in the second set having managed just two winners in the opener, but she contrived to drop serve again at the first time of asking.

She finally held serve for the first time in the match, though, saving two break points in the third game.

Vondrousova had reached the final without dropping a set and had the best record on tour since the Australian Open, but she left it too late to get her game in order on this occasion.

And Barty broke once more, hammering away a simple smash on her first match point to seal her moment in the spotlight, with Vondrousova left sitting on the bench in tears.

Results from the 14th day of the French Open on Saturday (x denotes seeding):

Women

Final

Ashleigh Barty (AUS x8) bt Markéta Vondroušová (CZE) 6-1, 6-3

Men

Semi-finals

Dominic Thiem (AUT x4) bt Novak Djokovic (SRB x1) 6-2, 3-6, 7-5, 5-7, 7-5