Don't look Bok in anger but Jones is looking to derail England's World Cup bid yet again

Eddie Jones, whose unfancied Australians outfoxed New Zealand at the last tournament before taking England to within 30 seconds of a penalty shoot-out, is about to resurface on the international stage as the Springboks' new technical director - a hired hand with the specific role of making South Africa a more formidable force still.

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Head coach Jake White submitted Jones's appointment to a board meeting yesterday with a glowing recommendation. "I saw a television programme in which Chris Jack, the All Black second row, said that the Australians were the team with the best attacking moves in world rugby," White said. "I agree with that. Improving our attacking play will be a big part of Eddie's brief."

England thought they had seen the back of a man who had been such a thorn in their side for so long that his spats with Sir Clive Woodward prompted one Australian newspaper to pay Jones's opposite number the back-handed compliment of being 'the most hated Englishman to visit Australia since Douglas Jardine'.

The Australian Rugby Union have attacked his decision to work with a major rival, conveniently ignoring the fact that they sacked him as national coach less than two years ago. Chief executive John O'Neill said: "This is not something you would expect of a former Australia coach. He would argue that 'I'm a professional coach'. I would just put a caveat in there that you've got to be a bit more discerning."

Jones's English employers, Saracens, with whom he has signed a four-year contract as a consultant, have agreed to share his services, even if the consequences spell an early exit for England.

Jones said: "Saracens understand the benefits to be had from me furthering my rugby education. I will, to some extent, be able to dovetail my commitments to the Boks and Saracens during the World Cup. This is not a one-way relationship. I won't just be teaching the Boks, I'll also be picking up ideas from them that I hope to be able to apply in my future work as a coach."

England know that to lose to South Africa in Paris on September 14 will leave them needing to beat Samoa in Nantes to be sure of qualifying for a quarter-final against Australia or Wales. Jones's late capture will not make their task any easier.

"There is a lot of talent in the Springbok squad," he said. "The players have a lot going for them and I'm looking forward to working with them. My loyalty at the World Cup will be with the team I'm working with. That's the way professional coaching is these days - the game has changed."

He has already been working on new attacking moves at South Africa's Cape Town training base. "The big difference between South African and Australian back play is that the South Africans stand a lot deeper," he said. "The Wallabies are often at their most effective when they stand flat and play a short-passing game. The Springboks have the personnel who are equipped to vary it. They could be a potent force by the time the World Cup arrives."

England failed to name their team to play Wales at Twickenham on Saturday as scheduled yesterday or explain why. Head coach Brian Ashton is due to announce his side today pending a late check on the fitness of Wasps flanker Tom Rees.

Wales, confident that Newport flanker Colin Charvis has recovered from vertigo in time to win his 87th cap, will also show their hand today for what will be a last chance for some of the squad players on duty in Australia at the end of last season.

Gavin Henson, cleared of the achilles tendon trouble which had disrupted his training schedule, is among those anxious for the only opportunity to make the final 30 before the August 14 deadline.

Head coach Gareth Jenkins said: "Don't read too much into the selection. We're into the last four-week phase of our conditioning programme, so some players will play with a degree of fatigue. We're going to Twickenham to win but the World Cup is our priority."

Harlequins have signed South Africa's World Cup reserve hooker Gary Botha, but traditionalists will be horrified to learn that the club have redesigned the most famous jersey in world rugby for the first time since its creation 141 years ago. The magenta, sky blue, chocolate brown, French grey, black and green strip will be worn at The Stoop but a new away kit will not have the brown, grey or other elements.