Catt is the oldest player ever to feature in a World Cup final

Former England centre Mike Catt admits he would love to join Martin Johnson's new England coaching team.

Johnson will appoint an additional backs specialist to join John Wells, Mike Ford, Graham Rowntree and Jon Callard on the tour to New Zealand.

Austin Healey, who was offered the post by Brian Ashton before his demise, and Northampton coach Jim Mallinder are other possible contenders for the role.

"I would love to work with 'Johnno'," Catt, 36, told BBC Radio 5 Live.

"He's got a wealth of experience, he was a fantastic rugby player and he's got the utmost respect from a lot of players and leaders in the game.

"When he says something, you do it, or you suffer the consequences. He knows exactly what he wants to achieve - and he makes sure it happens."

South Africa-born Catt won 75 England caps before retiring after the 2007 World Cup, and is now player-coach at London Irish.

He was a key member of England's 2003 World Cup-winning squad in Australia under Johnson's captaincy, and has helped London Irish reach the Heineken Cup semi-finals this season.

Catt said on Thursday he has not spoken to anyone from the RFU about the vacant role in which Ashton initially succeeded former rugby league international Joe Lydon in April 2006.

606: DEBATE Would Martin Johnson have the balls to give Catt a coaching position after his book slated Brian Ashton? archie100

But when Ashton stepped up to head coach in January 2007, he opted not to recruit an additional specialist.

However, Healey has revealed Ashton was keen to bring him in as backs coach for the forthcoming New Zealand tour, with former Bath and England captain Phil de Glanville as team manager.

"(Brian) told me he wanted help with team strategy so that he could get more into the coaching scenario and take a more objective view of his own sessions as opposed to being right in the middle of them," Healey told the Daily Mirror.

"I got as far as being offered the job and agreed to go on England's tour to New Zealand to see if the arrangement suited both parties.

You have to be honest, it's a really exciting time Austin Healey

"That was before the final round of Six Nations matches. In the space of a week it became apparent that everything had changed. The offer was no longer on the table."

Healey has also spoken to his former Leicester and England team-mate Johnson about the make-up of his coaching staff.

"You have to be honest, it's a really exciting time," added Healey, who has no senior coaching experience but whose credentials have also been endorsed by current Leicester captain Martin Corry.

"There are very few, for me, who understand the game as well as he (Healey) can," said Corry. "He (Johnson) can choose a lot worse."

Mallinder, who has worked with the England Saxons, Under-21s and the RFU's National Academy, has also been linked with the role.

Northampton owner Keith Barwell says Mallinder "assures me no-one from the RFU has spoken to him, but if Johnno gives him a call he will go and listen to him".

Personally I wouldn't work for Francis Baron. I would rather sell the Big Issue outside Debenhams Northampton owner Keith Barwell

But Barwell believes Mallinder, who has guided Saints back to the Premiership at the first attempt, will not be tempted to join what he Barwell calls the "circus" of England's management set-up.

"I'll do everything other than say 'you can't go'" he told BBC Radio Northamptonshire.

"But I will remind Jim he is already earning twice what he was earning before at the RFU and if necessary we will increase his wages, although I don't think it is anything to do with money.

"I think he has unfinished business at Franklin's Gardens and I'll remind him what it is likely to be like working in the RFU circus.

"Being only an attack coach in a circus of trainers I don't think Jim will see as a promotion. What does that offer him? Here at Northampton he is the boss, and what he says goes.

"If you go to the RFU you have got the council, the management board, you have Rob Andrew, Martin Johnson, Francis Baron, three other coaches with you. It sounds like a circus to me.

"Jim will make his own decision and we will stand by that. But personally I wouldn't work for Francis Baron. I would rather sell the Big Issue outside Debenhams."

Johnson has six weeks to finalise the coaching team for first a Twickenham date with the Barbarians on 1 June (the day after the Guinness Premiership final), and the tour to New Zealand featuring Tests against the All Blacks on 14 and 21 June.

In Johnson's absence, RFU elite rugby director Rob Andrew will step in as manager for the tour, with assistant coaches Wells (forwards), Ford (defence), and technical specialists Rowntree (scrummaging) and Callard (kicking) already on board.