Ashton Promoted to Englands Top Job

The Phantom

Former Bath and Ireland coach Brian Ashton has been appointed as England head coach with immediate effect. Ashton has been promoted from his role as attack coach and will continue to work with forwards and defence specialists John Wells and Mike Ford.

"It's a massive privilege and honour to be asked to do the job," said Ashton.

"I recognise the challenges ahead and, along with the other coaches, my focus now is to prepare the England team to play Scotland in the Six Nations."

Speculation had suggested that Ashton's appointment was a short-term solution until another head coach or manager could be appointed, but the RFU has insisted this is not the case.

Ashton's appointment was unanimously agreed by the Rugby Football Union's management board after his name was put forward by director of elite rugby Rob Andrew. The 60-year-old will be formally unveiled at a Twickenham news conference at 1600 GMT on Wednesday.

Andrew said he had no doubts about moving Ashton up to replace former head coach Andy Robinson, who resigned at the end of November after a dismal run of results.

"Brian is the most experienced coach in England, he has enormous respect with the players and he has massive international and club experience," said Andrew. "This coaching team have only been together since May and I believe Brian is the right man to lead the coaches and players into a new period for English rugby starting with the Six Nations opener against Scotland (on 3 February 2007)."

But former England prop Jeff Probyn said Ashton's appointment was a mistake.

"It's a short term stopgap and that's not what England need," said Probyn. "They need to put in place a structure that will take them forward for the next 10 years rather than taking a short-term view. "The current thinking is obviously let's appoint Brian, get through the World Cup and then appoint someone else. "Brian works well alongside others who make decisions. Coaching-wise he's the man to take England forward.
"But as a head coach, decision-maker and planner of the broader vision to take England forward, he's not the right man."

However, Ashton received strong support from former England coach Dick Best.

"I think he's pretty much universally recognised as the right candidate in this situation," Best told BBC Radio Five Live. "We're looking to put some rugby together which will hearten rugby supporters in England. "The over-riding factor is that we're not very good at the moment: we don't have too many world class players."

Ashton joined up with England for a second time in May, along with Wells and Ford, to help Robinson arrest England's decline since the 2003 World Cup. But England's run of eight defeats in their last nine Tests saw Robinson forced out at the end of November.
Ashton was head coach of Ireland between 1997 and 1998, but a lacklustre spell of results saw him replaced by Warren Gatland.
Ireland won only two of their nine Tests under Ashton, losing twice to Italy and suffering heavy defeats at the hands of New Zealand and England during his tenure. Ashton then spent four years as a member of Sir Clive Woodward's England coaching staff before becoming the RFU National Academy manager.

The Lancastrian has also spent two successful periods at the helm of English Premiership side Bath, where he also served as Jack Rowell's assistant for many years.

- BBC.co.uk

Tyler Durden

Probyn's right. It is a stopgap to carry us through till after the World Cup. Nobody of the stature the RFU would seriously want, i.e Mallett, Henry, Gatland are going to want the position till after the World Cup because of the complete hiding they will be on until then.

Once the World Cup is out of the way, big decisions like whether to keep guys like Corry, Dallaglio, Hill, Grewcock and many others are easy. Plus then you'll get the good grace of a honeymoon period blooding younger players and under less pressure. Taking it on now would be a poisoned chalice for any of those big name guys.

Additionally any of those coaches would want cart blanche over the coaches they bring in and the set up they want. None of that can be arranged till post World Cup since the new coaches are all installed and contracted till then and they can't bring in their own guys.

It's all very sad really. Unless you're not English, in which case it's very funny!

The Phantom

We're all laughing this side of the Severn Bridge!! There's no way Ashton can build a team in time for the world cup, all he's going to do is select the good old reliable players which will hopefully carry them through to the Quarter Finals. After that he'll be gone. Don't get me wrong he's a good coach, but what England need is a manager... and that is something he's not. Rob Andrew should have taken this job on short term and seen the side through to the World Cup, since he appointed everyone, and then stepped back upstairs and let a new coach have a fresh start with a new team.

Unfortunately it has become apparent that Wales are going down the same road as England by appointing an Elite Performance Director. Hopefully we don't end up in the mess England are in.