 Ashton (left) will meet Andrew to discuss his future on Tuesday |
Even though England beat Ireland 33-10 on Saturday, all in all it was a disappointing Six Nations campaign for the World Cup runners-up. Their much-improved performance at Twickenham meant they finished second in the table, but was the result enough to save Brian Ashton's job as England coach? Rugby Football Union (RFU) director of elite rugby Rob Andrew will meet Ashton on Tuesday as he prepares to deliver his verdict on the England coaching set-up to the RFU board. Some factions within the RFU reportedly want Ashton to go despite the win over Ireland, while others may have been swayed in favour of keeping him at the last moment. Haven't we been here before? Yes. During the World Cup there were persistent rumours the coaching staff were not working as a harmonious unit. The team defied the odds to reach the final, but many observers credit that success to a group of senior players who imposed their vision on the coaches. After the World Cup Andrew conducted a major review of the campaign, and came to the conclusion that nothing should change. This caused widespread surprise, both inside and outside the RFU, but his recommendation was accepted and Ashton stayed at the head of an unchanged set-up. Has the decision to stick with the status quo been a success? Former England number eight Lawrence Dallaglio described England's Six Nations campaign as "deeply frustrating" and despite finishing second, it was only partly rescued by the Ireland win. The Irish, after a fine few years, are in a state of flux and are rapidly sliding down the world rankings after a dire World Cup - putting them away comfortably should be the bare minimum for any side with thoughts of being considered a major force.  Cipriani heads a crop of talented English youngsters |
The France display was also promising, but some of the other performances, notably the entire 80 minutes against Scotland, and the second halves against Wales and Italy, were abysmal. England have introduced a number of youngsters into the team, with Danny Cipriani, James Haskell, Tom Croft and Richard Wigglesworth given a chance to stake their claim. But England remain very erratic and seem to only perform when facing down heavy criticism, and a backs to the wall mentality is not enough for a side with designs on excellence. Will Andrew suggest the same set-up and will the RFU listen? Before the Ireland game he said change was not "something I would consider at this point" and the victory is unlikely to make him keener to axe Ashton. However, there are persistent reports that powerful members of the RFU have decided Ashton's time is up. They felt they had to give him a run after the defiant World Cup campaign, but believe now is the time for a fresh start. Others harbour grave misgivings over the coaching structure, but will probably go with Andrew's recommendation, whatever that may be. Others may want to keep Ashton but give him what he has asked for - a manager to help deal with the wider issues while he concentrates on coaching, and the chance to choose his own staff. Does Ashton even want to stay on? After the win over Ireland he told BBC Sport: "I might have the biggest say in whether I have the job or not." There appear to be two factors bothering the coach; the exact nature of his role, and the team he has around him.  | 606: DEBATE |
Two years ago, after quitting as director of the RFU's National Academy, he said: "I found I was drifting into politics and I am no politician. "I found I was drifting into administration and I am no administrator; and from time to time I was asked to act in a diplomatic fashion and I am no diplomat. "My main strength is as a coach. I see my job as improving players individually, to do the technical work with them, and also to establish the environment, the framework, in which the players operate." He may believe that with no manager in place to help with the wider responsibilities, there is currently too much of the former in his present role and not enough of the latter. What about his support team? Ashton was grafted onto the existing structure when he took over. It looked like a rickety arrangement designed to get England through the World Cup with as much dignity as possible, and the same issues remain. When he was reappointed last December Ashton was asked about his relationship with forwards coach John Wells. He admitted there was "a difference in philosophy" between the pair but insisted it was not a problem.  Doubts persist about relationships in the England coaching team |
"You need people around you who are going to question what you are doing. That's how you get the best out of not only them, but yourself as well," he said. That is all well and good, but for it not to be a problem there needs to be total trust, and it is debatable whether that exists in the England coaching team. Wales assistant coach Shaun Edwards says he does not always agree with Grand Slam-winning coach Warren Gatland, but that, once his former Wasps boss had made a decision, he and fellow assistant coach Rob Howley back Gatland 100%. Edwards said Wales' success was down to the "unity of the team and the coaching staff. Everyone is pushing in the same direction and believes in each other". His message was picked up by Dallaglio, who plays under Edwards at the famously close-knit Wasps club. "Everyone is very quick to point the finger at (head coach) Brian Ashton, but if you look at what makes a successful coaching set-up, it's not one man," Dallaglio told the BBC. "I don't know whether Brian has actually had the opportunity to pick and choose the people he works with." What does the future hold? Whether Ashton stays or the coaching team remains the same, big changes are afoot. In July the RFU's agreement with the elite clubs over managing players comes into force. The deal gives Ashton, or whoever replaces him, much more control over England players, which means they should be fresher for international duty and reduces the chances of "burn-out". It is a problem which has been dragging on for so long it is easy to forget that England are operating on the back foot compared to many nations because they have less time with their players and cannot manage them as well. With better control of, and access to, players, a united coaching team and a hugely promising crop of youngsters coming through, the future should be bright for England. It is up to the RFU to make the right decision over who leads England into the bright new dawn.
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