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LONDON - England's unexpected run into the rugby World Cup final will see coach Brian Ashton rewarded with a new contract, the English Rugby Football Union chief Frances Baron said.
Baron said the 61-year-old coach will be asked to stay on after his current contract ends in December.
"Brian and director of rugby Rob Andrew will sit down immediately after the World Cup," Baron said.
"Brian has clearly done a great job and I'm sure they will be thrashing it out very quickly."
Ashton took his England squad into the World Cup under heavy criticism for failing to nail down a settled starting lineup and the attacks intensified after taking a 0-36 hammering against South Africa in a group game.
But England dramtically turned things around with back-to-back wins over Australia and France and they will now face up to the Springboks once again in the final in Paris on Sunday.
Baron would not be drawn on how long Ashton's new deal might run for, although newspaper reports suggested it might take him until the next World Cup in New Zealand in 2011.
"We won't talk about these things until the World Cup is over," said Baron.
"We have got a massive match on Saturday (Sunday NZ time) and Brian is fully focused on delivering yet another great performance from our boys on Saturday.
"We wouldn't dream of mentioning contracts at this stage."
- AFP
