Pardew enlists help of England rugby union coach at Crystal Palace

Crystal Palace manager Alan Pardew has called in some assistance on the New Beckenham training pitches: England rugby union coach Eddie Jones.

The Eagles have eight points between them and the drop with three matches remaining - making relegation from the Premier League extremely unlikely - and booked its first FA Cup final since 1990 after a 2-1 dismissal of Watford at Wembley last Sunday.

To help bring Crystal Palace to a successful conclusion of its campaign, Pardew has enlisted Jones, who guided England to its first Six Nations Grand Slam in 13 years in March, just months after a harrowing World Cup campaign on home soil by his predecessor Stuart Lancaster.

"A lot of the views he has run parallel with my own," said Pardew. "We share a couple of professional friends."

Jones has also overseen his homeland Australia and Japan over a nomadic coaching career, and is expected to be in charge of England for the 2019 World Cup.

"One of the reasons I invited him was to give us a little bit of a lift. We had a few words with the team about complacency and what good teams do," Pardew added.

"He is the coach of England rugby and has been involved in World Cups with other nations. He's has a multicultural personality and he is someone who is engaging.

"If the players can't take on board his comments then we are in trouble."

Crystal Palace sees out its Premier League campaign against Newcastle United, Stoke City, and Southampton, before facing Manchester United in the FA Cup showpiece on May 21.