"We can win a World Cup" - Hartley

England must continue to improve as the Rugby World Cup moves into view after establishing themselves as serious contenders since Eddie Jones took over in 2015, according to Dylan Hartley.

Jones has won 19 of his 20 matches in charge of the 2003 world champions, claiming back-to-back Six Nations titles in the process.

That form has seen England climb to second in the world rankings behind New Zealand, and made them a serious contender for the 2019 World Cup in Japan.

But captain Hartley is confident England can handle the challenge.

"We've had two great years evolving as a bit of an unknown team," Hartley is quoted as saying in the Daily Mail.

"People are aware now and we need to kick on. We're not the surprise any more. Maybe we do have a target.

"We want to win everything. In the past, we were too polite. We want to win every game.

"The belief's 100 per cent there now that we can get to number one and that we can win a World Cup. 

"If you don't have these kind of goals, these dreams, I don't think you've got any chance of achieving them."