Alex Sanderson tips Marc McCall and Andy Farrell as possible successors to Eddie Jones

Alex Sanderson has urged the Rugby Football Union to appoint Marc McCall or Andy Farrell as Eddie Jones’ England successor.

Twickenham has already begun the search for the right candidate to take over from Jones when his contract expires after next year’s World Cup with an Englishman the clear preference.

Whoever is chosen could shadow Jones throughout the global showpiece that is being staged in France and must be in place for the following Six Nations.

Sale director of rugby Sanderson, who has also been linked with the role, views Steve Borthwick as the favourite but believes that two other of his former Saracens colleagues would be ideal.

Ex-Ireland fly-half McCall is in his 11th year as Saracens boss while Farrell is currently overseeing an impressive Irish resurgence.

“I think Mark is ready for it now. He’s got my vote. He’d be great for it. If Ireland don’t want him, or maybe they could do a swapsies between Andy Farrell and Mark! I don’t know how those things work,” Sanderson said.

“They’re both really good coaches. Any international team would be lucky to have them. It’s important that the powers that be get an understanding of what that head coach role looks like, and needs to be.

“I’ll go back again and wax lyrical about Mark McCall, who’s just a bona fide legend in my eyes. He’s got to be one of the most underrated coaches.

“How has he not picked up international honours in his tenure at Sarries when he’s won everything multiple times over?”

Farrell’s route to Twickenham is made trickier by his role with Ireland, which would prevent him from accompanying Jones to the World Cup, but the process of prising Borthwick away from Leicester would be less complicated.

Adding to the strength of Borthwick’s claims are