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Ashton remains Eng coach
26/03/2008 22:18 - (SA)
London - England's coaching set-up
remained unchanged on Wednesday after the Rugby Football Union
(RFU) management board gave elite rugby director Rob Andrew more
time to search for a team manager and another specialist coach.
Andrew has been talking to former captain Martin Johnson
about a possible management role and there had been widespread
speculation that if the iconic World Cup winner were to come on
board it would lead to the departure of head coach Brian Ashton.
However, after receiving Andrew's interim report on the Six
Nations championship the board, in traditional RFU style, told
him to keep talking while they decided if they needed to
schedule an extra meeting before their planned next meeting in
April.
"The Management Board congratulated the England senior team
in finishing second in the Six Nations, a significant
improvement on previous years," the RFU said in a statement.
"The Management Board accepted Rob Andrew's interim report
and was unanimous in authorising him to continue the discussions
currently under way to strengthen the England team structure
through the recruitment of a Team Manager and an additional
specialist coach."
Ashton, 61, a coach with a love of attacking rugby, was
appointed in December 2006 following a dire run under Andy
Robinson and led England to the World Cup final last year and
last month to second place in the Six Nations, their best finish
for five years.
Players took control
However, both of those achievements came after early defeats
- a shocking 36-0 pool thrashing by eventual winners South
Africa in the World Cup and a 26-19 home loss to Wales in a game
where England appeared to be cruising to victory.
Whether the turnarounds were a result of Ashton's coaching
or, as suggested by former captains Mike Catt and Lawrence
Dallaglio, more to do with the players taking control, has been
a constant discussion point.
Ashton has failed to produce consistency or a recognisable
style of play but has pulled out impressive results, usually
when the chips were down.
Very much a tracksuit coach, he has said he would like a
manager to be appointed to work alongside him to deal with media
and logistical issues but not to have any direct involvement in
playing matters.
Johnson, who has no coaching experience after retiring from
playing three years ago, is widely respected in the game. It is
thought unlikely that he would want to take on such a limited
role, although he has made no recent public announcements about
his position.
The RFU have been widely criticised for failing to take on
Wasps coach Shaun Edwards despite him offering his services on a
part-time basis, with the former Britain rugby league captain
instead helping Wales coach Warren Gatland to secure a grand
slam in his first season in charge.
England's next matches are two June Tests away to New
Zealand.
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