Rugby coach Ashton facing uncertain England future

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LONDON (AFP) - Brian Ashton remained England head coach here Wednesday but his position looked increasingly under threat after his bosses at the Rugby Football Union authorised elite rugby director Rob Andrew to continue his talks regarding the appointment of a team manager and an extra coach.

However, according to an RFU statement, the future of the England coaching set-up is unlikely to be resolved until the end of April at the earliest.

Although no-one was named specifically as a candidate for the role of manager, it has been widely reported in the British press that the RFU have been in talks with former England captain Martin Johnson about the new post in the national set-up.

After the best part of a day spent considering an "interim report" from Andrew the RFU Management Board issued a statement which "congratulated the England senior team in finishing second in the Six Nations, a significant improvement on previous years."

But the statement added: "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, has made it clear ever since becoming England coach in 2006 he would like to have a manager to help with administrative duties but not someone who would reduce his authority in purely rugby matters.

Although Johnson has no coaching experience, the double British and Irish Lions captain is unlikely to be satisfied with a figurehead role and no meaningful input.

There have also been reports that England want to add a backs coach to their staff even though this is Ashton's primary area of expertise.

England, despite losing to both eventual Grand Slam champions Wales and Scotland, finished second under Ashton in this season's Six Nations - their best-placing since they completed the Grand Slam themselves in 2003 before inspirational captain Johnson lifted the World Cup later that year.

This came after an England team coached by Ashton defied many pundits to reach last year's World Cup final in Paris where they lost to South Africa.

Wednesday's statement said recommendations on a new manager and specialist coach appointments would be made to a meeting of Club England, the group that oversees Test matters, early in April.

They would then make "final recommendations to the RFU Management Board which will convene, as necessary, an additional meeting ahead of its scheduled meeting on the 30 April to consider these recommendations."

Former England internationals Lawrence Dallaglio and Mike Catt both suggested in their autobiographies, published after the World Cup, that England had reached the final in spite, not because, of Ashton who had to be forced out of his laid back approach by senior players after poor early performances.

Ashton's supporters insist the former Bath and Ireland coach, has been unfairly maligned and point to England's World Cup and Six Nations finishes as proof his methods work.

After the World Cup, Andrew recommended Ashton be kept on an 'open' contract rather than be handed a deal that would take him through to the 2011 edition in New Zealand.

Earlier this month former England outside-half Andrew said a change in the coaching set-up before the team's two Tests away to the All Blacks in June was "not something I would consider at this point."</p>