The best of the best.

England boss Eddie Jones is the latest Six Nations coach to come out and back the idea of promotion and relegation from the Championship, after Italy boss Conor O’Shea also welcomed the idea this week.

World Rugby revealed plans earlier this week to introduce relegation and promotion to the Six Nations as part of their proposed “Nations Championship” from 2022.

Under the proposal, the team who finish bottom of the Six Nations would face a playoff against the team who finish top of Europe’s second tier (Rugby Europe Championship) – a competition won by Georgia seven times in the past eight years.

“I think they should always consider rewarding merit, it doesn’t matter what competition you’re in,” Jones told BBC Radio Live’s Sportsweek programme.

“The organisers talk about the Six Nations being the best rugby competition in the world and it probably is close to it, but to improve it you’ve got to find a way of making sure you’ve got the six best teams in Europe always playing in it.”

“If that involves relegation then it’s something that should be looked at very closely.”