Eddie Jones has recruited former England captain Will Carling as a leadership mentor ahead of their clash with the Springboks on Saturday.

Carling, who won three Grand Slams between 1991 and 1995, will work with co-captains Owen Farrell and Dylan Hartley.

The 52-year-old became England’s youngest captain when he was appointed at 22.

Jones said he felt Carling’s leadership experience will add a different dimension to their setup.

‘I have met Will continuously over the past two years and I think he can add value to the senior players in the squad with his experience,’ Jones said. ‘He joins the great past of England to the present. It is a similar thing to what the All Blacks have done with great players and I think Will can play a role for us.

‘He’s a bit of specialist in leadership. He understands English rugby. He understands what made English rugby great, so combining the skill of leadership with the knowledge of English history is a nice resource for us to have.

‘This is not a coaching job. In a lot of ways it has got to do specifically with English rugby. I want the past to be linked to the present and also then to give the players some additional help with leadership.’

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