The timing of Rob Baxter openly admitting an interest in coaching England in the future, depending on what sort of role the Rugby Football Union decides to go for when looking for Eddie Jones’ successor, is interesting.

It seems clear now that the RFU is not going to replace Jones before the Rugby World Cup, regardless of what happens in Australia this summer and beyond. Even if that series with the Wallabies was disastrous.

I remember after the 1999 Rugby World Cup when Clive Woodward said he was going to leave the England job, but didn’t. Eddie must have more coaching lives than a cat, but when Clive nearly fell on his sword in 1999 he came back from that as a better head coach. It helped him refocus. Maybe that will be the case for Eddie after the last two Six Nations. But I do feel he needs better high-end quality coaches behind him. Not all of them, but some, or at least give them more say.

With Baxter, this is the first season where Exeter have not shown signs of progress. Every year since their promotion back in 2010 they have added to their game, improving in certain aspects.

Now, admittedly they have had their problems with injuries and international call-ups this season. But it’s also the first time where Exeter appear to have gone backwards – or to look at it another way, where perhaps the other teams in the Premiership around them have improved, hence why we now have such a competitive race for fourth place in the league.

At this point looking at the run-ins of all the teams in contention, it is very hard to see Exeter making the top four. They would have to beat everybody else and hope that Gloucester and Sale slip up. It is not in Exeter’s hands anymore, which is a situation which Baxter will not be used to. But, if you lose as many games at home as they have this season, then you arguably don’t deserve to be in the top four anyway.

Maybe this has led to Baxter thinking about his future, because I don’t think I have heard him answer that question about England before. And it has definitely been thrown at him many times over the years with Exeter’s success, whether he would like to coach England.

I think Baxter could definitely do the job. But, if the RFU is looking for a director of rugby, then perhaps Saracens’ Mark McCall would be the better option. If you are looking for someone to put a coaching team together, then McCall has a better and longer track record of doing that.

You either want a director of rugby who with few resources gets the best out of a side – like Steve Diamond or, for a better example, Warren Gatland from his time with Wales – or someone who is used to having lots of resources like McCall.

Or, you go for a head coach. Someone who has a vision, who builds a side, who doesn’t have to worry about the player contracts and budgets you get at club level – all that stuff is irrelevant when you are England coach. Alex Sanderson at Sale has openly admitted that his director of rugby role at Sale has been a bit of a shock with the amount of off-field tasks that need addressing as well as the on-field work. With England, there is none of that to worry about. You just focus on creating the best possible team.

Back to Baxter, I am not sure the way Exeter are currently playing would work at Test level either. In internationals you do not take those risks in your own half with maintaining possession for long periods of time, because the intensity is higher. Your fitness levels would need to be off the charts if you wanted to play that way. You are better off playing with that intensity, making a big impact over three to four phases, in the opposition’s half. I don’t think Exeter’s attacking game at present would work with England. They are too lateral across the backline. But their red-zone approach from three years ago certainly would. Having said all that, Baxter would adapt to whatever was required.

I certainly don’t subscribe to the theory that Baxter has taken Exeter as far as he can. He could find another way to create success at Sandy Park, having already taken them from the second tier to becoming champions of Europe. They are one of the top sides on the continent because of Baxter’s planning and longevity. They do not make rash decisions or jump for the next shiny thing. He could be there for another 10 years and Exeter would keep progressing under him. Unless, he has come to the point where he wants a new challenge in life. By the time 2023 rolls around, he might view England as a natural next step.