Eddie Jones will leave the Stormers to become England's new head coach.

Jones distanced himself from the England role last week, while Western Province Rugby Union president Thelo Wakefield also gave assurances on Wednesday that Jones was going nowhere, but England seem to have secured their preferred candidate.

Jones has been offered the job, which is now subject to a final settlement between the Rugby Football Union and the Stormers. It's believed that it could cost the RFU R15-million (£700,000) to extract Jones from his three-year Stormers deal, which would be expected to have an exit clause for an international position.

Bookmakers have recently suspended bets on Jones becoming the next England coach, with the former Wallabies and Japan coach having been touted as a possible successor to Stuart Lancaster ever since England failed to progress beyond the pool stage of the World Cup.

Should Jones's move to England materialise, it's likely that the Stormers will once again open up communication with former All Blacks coach John Mitchell, who has previously been sounded out about the role.

When approached for comment by SARugbymag.co.za, the Stormers would only say they were seeking to get to the bottom of the matter.

'Western Province rugby is aware of the speculation regarding Eddie Jones’s future. No further comment will be made until we have final clarity on the situation,' WP’s director of rugby Gert Smal said.

Read the Daily Express's report

Photo: Ashley Vlotman/Gallo Images