Rugby World Cup: Manchester City chief Pep Guardiola is inspiration for England boss Eddie Jones on his Japan 2019 quest – The Sun

PEP GUARDIOLA may be key to England winning the World Cup — as Eddie Jones has been nicking tips from him.

The Red Rose chief has been studying the stellar career of the Manchester City boss and visited him when he was in charge of Bundesliga giants Bayern Munich.

And the England coach has remodelled his blueprint on how to bring home the Webb Ellis Cup in Japan thanks to a book on the Spaniard.

Jones vowed to attack the tournament with his strongest team from the off.

But over the last four months he has ripped up his plans to be more dynamic and unpredictable.

Speaking on the first official day of England's World Cup in Japan, he said: "I was reading a book about Pep's first year at Bayern.

"They played 60-odd games and for only one week he had his full squad available.

"That's the reality of top-level physical sports now. You never have your best team any more.

"One of the things I think we did well in the warm-up games was create that adaptable squad and I think that's the way the game is going — having adaptable squads.

"Obviously you have a strongest team but the reality of putting all your marbles into that team is unrealistic.

"I have a much more open approach to selection because of that and it has evolved quite quickly in the last three or four months.

"We have gone to another level in terms of adaptability. We have been able to develop a number of different ways to play."

Jones also looked to manage expectations back home when asked about their opener in Sapporo against tier two side Tonga a week today.

The Sea Eagles were humiliated 92-7 by New Zealand last week but Jones will not be demanding a similar statement win in their opening Pool C match.

He said: "The World Cup is not about that.

"The World Cup is like the Cheltenham Gold Cup. You have to be in front at the right time and we intend to be in front when the whips are cracking.

"We've got to win seven games in a row.

The World Cup is like the Cheltenham Gold Cup. You have to be in front at the right time and we intend to be in front when the whips are cracking

"And it's the only tournament in the world where you've got to win seven games in a row, on consecutive weeks.

"With the quality of teams having risen over the last four years in particular, you've now got at least four difficult games.

"To win the World Cup we've got five difficult games in a row so it's about consistency, resilience, being able to keep a calmness but at the same time rise to the physical challenge of being at your best."

Since arriving here last week Jones has been mobbed by locals thanks to his heroics as Japan coach in 2015.

And after equally adored All Blacks boss Steve Hansen denied he was a god here, Jones joked: "I pray to Steve every day!

"The Japanese love the All Blacks but we'll get our fair share of support.

"Our sponsor Canterbury must be happy about the number of English jerseys we've seen in Miyazaki, it's been incredible."

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