Jones held Australia talks while he was England head coach

Eddie Jones has revealed he held talks with Australia while he was England head coach and is relishing a "great rivalry" with his former team.

Jones was sacked as England boss last month and has been replaced by Steve Borthwick, who was employed as the Australian's forwards coach with the Red Rose and his assistant during his Japan tenure.

The 62-year-old Jones this week sensationally returned for a second spell as Wallabies head coach, with Dave Rennie fired eight months before the Rugby World Cup starts in France.

Jones was due to end his England reign after the World Cup and had already spoken to Rugby Australia about the possibility of returning to his homeland prior to being shown the door by the Rugby Football Union (RFU).

"I don't know of anyone who doesn't think about their future," Jones, who said the talks were with a view to taking over once his England duties had ended, told BBC Radio 5 Live.

"I can't see how that is being disloyal or whatever people want to portray it as being."

Australia could face England at the quarter-final stage of the World Cup and Jones would welcome a reunion.

"I think the nice thing about playing against a team you have coached previously is that you've got these relationships with players and maybe with some staff," he said.

"It creates a really good rivalry. I enjoyed coaching against Australia and coaching against Michael Cheika, and I'll enjoy coaching against Steve Borthwick and England."