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Sir Clive Woodward says Eddie Jones and England should 'stop talking about World Cups'

England head coach Eddie Jones
Image: Eddie Jones says Ireland were worthy Six Nations winners

Sir Clive Woodward says Eddie Jones must forget about the World Cup and focus on improving his "declining" England team before things get "messy".

England's 24-15 defeat to Ireland in the Six Nations handed their opponents the Grand Slam and left Jones' fifth in the standings - their lowest finish since 1983 - after losing three games on the bounce.

Woodward, who won the 2003 World Cup with England, believes Jones' side are in big trouble ahead of their three-Test tour of South Africa in June, which is followed by an Autumn clash against New Zealand at Twickenham.

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England head coach Eddie Jones responds to the jeers at Twickenham which followed their defeat to Ireland in the Six Nations

"England are really staring down the barrel," said Woodward.

"Stop talking about World Cups - they have to get this team sorted out. To win even one of those Test matches for this England team at the moment is going to be a big boost. I wouldn't even be talking about the World Cup.

"My next game is against a fired-up Springboks team playing an England team that has just lost three in a row. Wales coach Warren Gatland said England could be looking at six on the bounce - that wasn't a throwaway line"

Johnny Sexton looks to get to grips with  Ben Te'o
Image: England suffered their third Six Nations defeat in a row

Writing in his Daily Mail column, Woodward added: "England must accept they have been declining for a year now, they have lost four of their last six Six Nations matches and were far from convincing against Wales as well.

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"Now England face a three-Test series in South Africa against a re-energised Springboks under a new coach, with New Zealand to follow this autumn and trips to Dublin and Wales in the Six Nations next year.

"This could all get very messy and leave England stumbling into World Cup year."

 during the NatWest Six Nations match between England and Ireland at Twickenham Stadium on March 17, 2018 in London, England.
Image: Ireland secured the Grand Slam

Woodward has called on Jones to take the initiative and bring someone in to undertake an external review of the squad to avoid repeating previous mistakes made by the RFU.

"I would enlist people from outside the camp who have been there and got the T-shirt to come in with the very specific brief of assessing what has been going on, the process, as Eddie calls it," added Woodward.

"This is all about getting England back on track, not apportioning blame. And it's needed now, not after next year's World Cup. One of the things that has staggered me in England's recent history is that the RFU wait until it's too late."

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