SIR CLIVE WOODWARD says Eddie Jones should forget about winning the World Cup.
England’s Six Nations flop was their worst in 35 years.
And 2003 World Cup-winning boss Woodward warned: “England are really staring down the barrel.
“Stop talking about World Cups — they have to get this team sorted out.”
Jones has lost three Tests in a row and faces a daunting three-Test tour to South Africa in June desperate to get back on track ahead of the 2019 World Cup in Japan.
But Woodward added: “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.
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“Wales coach Warren Gatland said England could be looking at six on the bounce — that wasn’t a throwaway line.”
Aussie Jones won 24 of his first 25 Tests in charge before the wheels came off against Scotland, France and Ireland.
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Woodward told BBC Radio 5Live’s Sportsweek: “I thought there would be some bumps in the road but I didn’t see these three defeats coming.
“World rugby has moved up a big step and England have been chugging along since we lost to Ireland in Dublin 12 months ago.
“There’s not been improvements. Even in the autumn we weren’t playing that well.
“They haven’t become a bad team overnight but they haven’t been playing well and I think a lot of it is down to fatigue.
“It’s not just losing, we haven’t been firing any shots. We haven’t even been close. I think they’re just out on their feet.
“We’ve got the players and I’m a big fan of Eddie. I just think they have run out of steam a bit.”
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