Brian Ashton's future as coach of the England rugby union team was expected to be clarified yesterday when Rob Andrew, the elite rugby director of the Rugby Football Union (RFU), delivered his review of the Six Nations to the national governing body's management board.
England, despite losing to both Wales and Scotland, finished second in the tournament -- their highest Six Nations placing since 2003, when they completed a Grand Slam before winning the World Cup.
But reports have since emerged that Martin Johnson, England's World Cup-winning captain of five years ago, has been contacted by Andrew regarding his taking on a new managerial role.
Ashton has made it clear ever since becoming England coach in 2006 that he would like to have a manager on board to help with administrative duties but not someone who would reduce his authority with regard to 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 without any meaningful input into the team's preparations.
Even though England reached last year's World Cup final under Ashton's guidance, after he was parachuted in following the unsuccessful reign of Andy Robinson, his position has been repeatedly called into question.
Former England internationals Lawrence Dallaglio and Mike Catt both suggested in their autobiographies, published after last year's World Cup, that England had reached the final in Paris, where they lost to South Africa, in spite of and not because of Ashton.
Ashton's supporters insist the coach, who has set great store by players having the ability to work things out for themselves on the pitch, has been unfairly maligned and point to England's recent finishes in their two most important competitions -- the World Cup and the Six Nations -- as proof he must be doing something right.
Unlike many head coaches, Ashton didn't select his own backroom staff but "inherited" forwards chief John Wells and defense specialist Mike Ford.
There have been repeated reports of the trio clashing and the position of both Ford and Wells is set to be considered in Andrew's report.
Meanwhile South Africa's World Cup-winning coach Jake White, who quit the Springboks soon after their triumph in Paris, has reiterated his interest in becoming England coach.
Austin Healey, a former teammate of Johnson's who, like the ex-England captain, has no coaching experience, has been touted a someone who could advise the backs even though that is Ashton's primary area of expertise.
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