Alexander could link with England rugby team

Australia coach Lisa Alexander talks to her players during last year's World Cup final. Photo:...
Australia coach Lisa Alexander talks to her players during last year's World Cup final. Photo: Getty Images
Ex-Australian Diamonds coach Lisa Alexander has made one thing clear - she isn't done yet.

However, her future in the sport of netball might be, as she's hinted at a move to rugby.

Alexander has been effectively fired as head coach of the Diamonds after Netball Australia decided against renewing her contract past the end of 2020.

As a result, the 56-year-old, who has led the team for more than eight years, decided the Diamonds' bushfire relief charity match on March 1 would be her final outing in the role.

Speaking to Radio Sport, she revealed she was open to working within coaching roles outside of netball as she seeks the next step in her career.

"Obviously I love coaching and I'd love to continue coaching, it might be in lots of different areas," she said.

"I've got many interests in sport outside of netball as well. I'm looking forward to the opportunities that come my way, I'm certainly not done. I'd like to continue at some stage and if that's in netball, fantastic and if it's in another sport, well that's fantastic as well."

Alexander has since teased the idea of working with England Rugby under the guidance of Australian-born head coach Eddie Jones.

The pair are old friends, with Alexander once being invited to watch Jones' squad train at their Pennyhill Park base.

Jones is known for looking to Australia's top coaches for knowledge, with Melbourne Storm assistant Jason Ryles set to join England as a skills coach at the end of the 2020 NRL season.

"I've just had some time in England, where I spent some time with Eddie Jones and rugby," Alexander told Stuff.

"I think [Jones] will be giving me a call ... He usually does after these things, so he will be wanting to know what's going on."

Alexander's also expressed an interest in coaching AFL, first floating the idea two years ago at a coaching clinic.

''One of my goals is actually to become the first female coach of an AFL men's team,'' she said at the time.

''It might take me another 10 years, I don't know. But which team would I like to coach?

"Probably the Sydney Swans, because I just love the sound of their high-performance programme.''

Meanwhile, Alexander remains surprised over the decision from Netball Australia not to extend her Diamonds contract.

"I was pretty confident, particularly with the win in the Constellation Cup, that it would be possible to seek an extension of the contract but obviously the board thought differently to that," she said.

"Obviously, I'm disappointed ... [But] at the end of that day, that's their decision to make."

Netball Australia will begin recruitment for the next Diamonds coach in early March.

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