London: Australia great Joe Roff has backed his former Wallaby mentor Eddie Jones to become the new coach of world champions England.

England are currently without a coach after Andy Robinson was forced out after a wretched two years in charge where the team suffered 13 defeats in 22 Tests including three November losses at home to New Zealand, Argentina and South Africa.

But former Wallaby wing Roff, speaking after himself tasting Twickenham defeat following Cambridge University's 15-6 win over Oxford University in the Varsity match here Tuesday, was adamant Jones could be the man to revive England ahead of the 2007 World Cup in France starting in September.

"Eddie's possibly the most thorough and most influential coach on me as an individual I've ever had," said Roff, who also played under current Queensland Reds boss Jones at the ACT Brumbies, as well as with Australia.

"I haven't been coached by every coach in rugby but he is, without a doubt, an exceptional coach.

"If there needs to be either some short-term (or long-term) solution, there's no more thorough or hard-working coach on the face of the earth I would imagine than Eddie Jones," Roff, who scored 30 tries in 86 Tests, added.

"I think he's a guy that could take any team forward. I'm biased. I had him as a coach for a long time and he always got the best out of me. I think he can do that with all players.

"There's coaches and then there are exceptional coaches and he's one of the latter."

Roff's comments came just hours after RFU director of elite rugby Rob Andrew indicated that a new England coach would be chosen next week.

Jones, who was in charge of Australia when they lost the 2003 World Cup final against England 20-17 after Jonny Wilkinson's last-ditch drop-goal in extra-time went over in Sydney, was sacked as the Wallabies coach two years ago after a run of eight defeats in nine matches.

According to a report on the BBC website, Jones - who has a three-year contract with the Reds and who had a brief spell in England last year when he helped Saracens avoid relegation was coy when asked about his prospects of taking up the England job.

"I have to give Queensland a number of months' notice and they have to give me a number of months' notice," he said.

"Having said all that, I can assure you I'll be coaching Queensland in the Super 14 this year (2007)," he said.

"Like any coach at the end of the season (in May) you don't know where you stand,"

Andrew, at Twickenham on Tuesday, said the appointment of a new coach was imminent: "My thinking is pretty clear, and I am expecting to be able to make a recommendation to the (RFU) management board next Wednesday."

Last month Australia enjoyed mixed results on their tour of Europe, beating Italy and Scotland but drawing with World Cup pool opponents Wales and losing to Ireland under John Connolly, Jones's replacement.

Roff, unlike several former Wallabies, refused to comment on the current team's World Cup prospects.

"I'm not really thinking about it much at the moment, I'm thinking about the Oxford team.I didn't see much of the autumn internationals because we were preparing for this (the Varsity Match)," he said.

Despite his vast international experience, Roff - who played at outside centre for Oxford - said the Varsity Match had been "one of the most special games I've ever played in".

But the philosophy, politics and economics student added: "Unfortunately, it's one of the most disappointing as well.

"It goes into my top three with the World Cup 2003 and the Brumbies of 2000 (when they lost the Super 12 final 20-19 to New Zealand's Canterbury Crusaders) as my most disappointing losses," he said.