RFU keen to change residency rule

Cape Town - The Rugby Football Union (RFU) may impose a five-year residency rule on England if World Rugby doesn't change its current three-year rule.

World Rugby vice-chairperson Agustin Pichot is eager to add another 24 months to the rule, with RFU chief executive Ian Ritchie in agreement.

Eddie Jones recently selected Nathan Hughes and Semesa Rokoduguni, after both Fijian-born players had resided in England for three years.

Despite this Ritchie wants the change to happen in the near future, revealing to BBC Sport: "In an ideal world there would be universality of regulation and there is a helpful way of dealing with this, and that is by moving the World Rugby regulation from three to five years."

England are preparing for their Six Nations opener against France, who recently said they'll only pick players who hold a French passport.