England face coaching cull

LONDON - English rugby officials will discuss their review into the world champions' feeble Six Nations performance today with widespread changes expected in coach Andy Robinson's support staff.

The results will be announced on Thursday, with Robinson expected to remain in his job, despite overseeing back-to-back fourth-placed finishes and failing to prevent England's slide to sixth in the world rankings.

However, backs coach Joe Lydon, defence coach Phil Larder, kicking coach Dave Alred, scrum specialist Phil Keith-Roach and performance director Chris Spice have all been tipped for departure as the Rugby Football Union (RFU) hierarchy demands answers with the next World Cup only 17 months away.

Brian Ashton, who left the RFU's academy last December to take over at Bath, is expected to return to shake up the backline which has looked toothless and pedestrian under Lydon's guidance, this season in particular.

Former Leicester coach John Wells has been mentioned as a possible replacement for Larder, the former rugby league man whose defensive patterns played such a vital part in England's march to the top of the game in 2003 but who has struggled to keep the tries out in the last two years.

With Jonny Wilkinson not having played for England since that Sydney final and now ruled out of the June tour to Australia, Alred's position has been undermined, particularly as Charlie Hodgson, Wilkinson's successor at first five-eighth, has remained an erratic goalkicker under Alred's direction.

Other names in the frame for some involvement in the national side are Wasps coach and former Britain rugby league captain Shaun Edwards, Jim Mallinder, who is the current England under-21 coach, and kicking specialist Jon Callard.

The suggested appointment of a director of rugby to operate alongside Robinson and take on many of the managerial duties that were performed with such aplomb by Clive Woodward, seems unlikely to materialise and it would be a huge surprise if the World Cup-winning coach were to be brought back from his role with Southampton football club.

None of the changes are certain, however, since the RFU has steadfastly refused to make any announcements until the completion of the wide-ranging review.

England lost to Scotland, France and Ireland in a third-successive poor Six Nations performance and RFU chief executive Francis Baron has sought the input of a wide range of interested parties in his search to end the decline.

Robinson and his captain Martin Corry have submitted reports, as have the various coaches and assistants, with Robinson's key recommendation believed to be a repeated demand for more time with his players to prepare for internationals.

The Club England sub-committee made up partly of former internationals, whose tasks include guiding the national team's long-term strategy, have also had a major involvement with some members being outspoken on the need for change.

"It is time for hard decisions to get us into a position so we can think about being competitive at the World Cup," said 1991 World Cup final winger and committee member Simon Halliday.

"Everyone is expecting decisions to be made and we cannot shirk from our responsibility to make them. We have to look at our complete management and coaching structure and decide exactly what system will serve us best for the next World Cup and the one after that."

The RFU's management board will make their decisions at their meeting on Wednesday and announce the results in a news conference at Twickenham on Thursday.

- REUTERS