The Rugby Football Union are looking to the Premiership in preparation of choosing a successor to England coach Eddie Jones, and are open to selecting a coach with no international experience.
Jones’ in contracted with the RFU until 2021, but may leave the role earlier than planned if England disappoint at the Rugby World Cup in 2019.
England have lost three of their eight matches under Jones and face a challenging November with autumn international fixtures against South Africa, New Zealand, Japan and Australia.
And Nigel Melville, the RFU’s director of professional rugby, admitted that England are looking close to home as they begin to form their succession plan before the World Cup in Japan next year
“We are looking domestically in the Premiership and seeing who is available and interested there,” Melville told BBC Sport.
“We are also looking at the wider scope across the world, because there are lots of people from other countries who may be available after 2019 who have international experience, but we may want to go with an England option who does not have international experience.
“It’s an open book at this stage, we are looking at all the options.”