Coach Brian Ashton insists Lawrence Dallaglio’s England career is not necessarily over despite the player’s stinging criticism after the World Cup.

Dallaglio, 35, accused Ashton of a lack of leadership and said England were like a pub team in the early matches.

“I’ve never been a vindictive man,” Ashton said. “If a player is the best in that position, then he will get selected. It’s that simple.

“I didn’t like the criticism but, to be honest, it just washed over me.”

England’s World Cup campaign was rocked by a 36-0 loss to South Africa in the pool stages but after a series of frank meetings, they rediscovered their winning ways and reached the final, losing 15-6 in a rematch with the Springboks.

Former England captain Dallaglio and veteran centre Mike Catt both publicly criticised Ashton in their autobiographies which were published after the World Cup.

The 36-year-old Catt has since retired from international rugby, but Dallaglio, joint-second on England’s all-time list with 85 caps, said he would not retire for a second time, having originally quit international rugby in 2004 before returning two years later.

Ashton, reappointed head coach this week on an “indefinite” contract, will name a 32-man squad for the Six Nations on 9 January.

Despite the likely introduction of youngsters such as Wasps duo Danny Cipriani and James Haskell, Ashton indicated he will retain a spine of experienced players.
“You have always got to have the balance in a side between the exuberance of youth and some experience,” he said.

“The ideal balance would be to have the best 15 players in the team, with some of those players being really experienced and some coming in for their first or second cap.

“At this stage I have a pretty good idea of the World Cup players we are looking at to perform again in the Six Nations.

“Although current form will be extremely important, there’s little doubt that there are a number of 31 and 32-year-olds who are still the best in their positions in the country.

“The younger guys are an unknown quantity in many respects because if they put their hands up high enough then they might sneak in.

“But as was shown in the World Cup, experience counts for a hell of a lot.

“I would like to think that English rugby is in pretty rude health at the moment.”

England coach Brian Ashton has been given an “indefinite” length contract, according to Rugby Football Union elite rugby director Rob Andrew.
 
Andrew says he envisages Ashton, who led England to this year’s World Cup final, staying until the 2011 event.

“It is very much a long-term project,” said Andrew.

“The contract is indefinite, with no time limit. Brian might be here in 2015. It has a notice period, like all contracts have.”

The RFU announced on Wednesday that Ashton, as well as assistant coaches Mike Ford and John Wells, would remain in their jobs after Andrew’s post-World Cup review.

Andrew stated that Ashton, whose original 12-month rolling contract was due to expire at the end of this month, has the option to add to his coaching team and that a team manager is likely to be appointed.

“One of the appointments Brian wants to make is a team manager,” Andrew told BBC Radio 5 Live. “We have said he can appoint a team manager of his choosing.

“What Brian and I have to do is define the job description that he wants for an England team manager.”

Ashton’s relationship with his coaches, particularly the more conservative, forwards-orientated view of Wells, came in for criticism during the World Cup.

But Ashton, known for his more free-flowing vision of the game, says there is no clash of cultures and insists he is happy that the coaching team will stay together.

“It’s not a clash, but there’s a difference in philosophy there and both of us will acknowledge that. But that’s not a problem,” he said. “I think that’s a good thing. What you don’t want is a backroom staff full of yes-men.

“You need people around you who are going to question what you are doing. That’s how you get the best out of not only them, but yourself as well.”

One addition to the senior England coaching staff, possibly as coach of the second-string Saxons, could be highly regarded Wasps head coach Shaun Edwards.

The rugby league legend has helped Wasps to three Premiership titles and two Heineken Cups and has also been offered a role by new Wales coach Warren Gatland.

“Shaun Edwards is an outstanding coach, not just a defence coach,” said Ashton.

“To whichever team he was making a contribution, it would be a very, very good one.”

Andrew, who confirmed the RFU has spoken to Edwards about various roles, said Edwards “wants to stay at Wasps full-time and work part-time on the international stage”.

Under Premier Rugby regulations club coaches are not allowed to work with the full England squad, although on Monday they amended the rule to allow the RFU to get Edwards involved, but only with regard to the Saxons. He is not expected to make a decision on whether to accept the role until at least the weekend.

Ashton took over as head coach exactly 12 months ago after being promoted in the wake of Andy Robinson’s dismissal.

 He took over a side at rock bottom following a run of eight defeats in nine Tests but turned around England’s fortunes by taking them to the World Cup final against South Africa.

But Ashton’s coaching style divided opinion in France with senior players Lawrence Dallaglio and Mike Catt criticising the head coach when the squad returned home.

Andrew consulted England players and management and coaches from around the Premiership as he formulated his review which was discussed by the RFU on Wednesday.

And Ashton, who will name a 32-man squad for the Six Nations on 9 January, said he was “very proud” to have had his contract extended.

“I am looking forward to getting on with it,” said the 61-year-old former Bath coach. “I look at the way forward in three stages.

“In 2008 there is the Six Nations and the New Zealand tour, the next period is to the end of the 2009 Argentina tour and then we ought to be in a good position to move forward to the 2011 World Cup.

“There are short, medium and long-term objectives over the next four years.

 ”We know we need to move our game forward. We need to be able to play in different ways and we need a management team and squad of players prepared to work to that end.

“We need the players and coaching team in place who have the ambition, vision and desire to drive the English game forward.”

Two of the management team at the World Cup have left their posts, with video analyst Tony Biscombe retiring this week and team administrator Viv Brown “leaving the employ of the RFU” according to Andrew.

Wells and Ford have both welcomed the chance to continue their roles alongside Ashton.

Wells said: “We have an exciting group of young forwards coming through such as (Wasps’) James Haskell, Luke Narraway at Gloucester and Jordan Crane at Leicester, while (Wasps’) Tom Rees is looking like he is back to his best.

“These guys will be looking to challenge the group of players who did so well during the World Cup and we are excited about what’s ahead of us.”

Ford added: “I am pleased that we can build on what was achieved in France and I am looking forward to getting back together for the Six Nations.

“We have come a long way since the start of the year and now we have a chance to move England on to another level.”

Dan Ward-Smith could again miss out on a place in England’s Six Nations squad after suffering a broken hand on club duty for Bristol on Sunday.

The number eight was forced off in their Heineken Cup win over Harlequins and could be out for two months.

“If it is a clean break, he is likely to be out for six weeks but if it’s splintered, it could be eight weeks,” said Bristol coach Richard Hill.

England open up their Six Nations campaign against Wales on 2 February.

In a further setback for Bristol, England World Cup hooker Mark Regan picked up a shoulder injury in the same game.

Regan was substituted just after half time and was replaced by try-scorer David Blaney, who was himself stretchered off in injury time with a suspected broken ankle.

It is the second season running that Ward-Smith has suffered an injury setback in the build-up to the Six Nations.

Earlier this year, the 29-year-old suffered a dislocated kneecap and a ruptured patella playing for his club against Northampton when an England call-up beckoned.

He had recovered enough to work with England’s World Cup training squad in the summer but failed to prove he had reached the required fitness level to be included in the final party that travelled to France.

Ward-Smith missed Bristol’s opening game of the season against Leicester but returned to the team for the clash with Sale on 23 September.

“It’s very unlucky for him,” added Hill. “Last year, before he was badly injured, he was out for six weeks with a thumb problem.”

Dave Strettle says he is relishing the challenge of trying to regain his place in the England team after missing the World Cup because of a broken foot.

After impressing in the Six Nations, the Harlequins back looked set for the World Cup until injury intervened.

“If I can go from Division One to Six Nations in a year, then trying to regain my shirt will be an honour not a chore,” the winger told BBC Sport.

“Even being in contention for an England shirt is a privilege.”

Strettle has enjoyed a remarkable rise through the ranks since joining Harlequins from relegated Rotherham in August 2006.

Just six months after moving to Quins, he made his England debut, scoring their only try in the 43-13 Six Nations loss to Ireland.

His performances in the tournament earned him a place on the summer tour of South Africa, where he was laid low by illness, and he looked sure to be in the World Cup squad until he broke his foot in training.

The 24-year-old, who has been signed up as one of the RBS’s ‘Young Guns’ working to promote next year’s Sport Relief campaign, admitted that even he was taken aback by the way his career had developed so fast.

“One of my mates told me to go and look at myself on Wikipedia, and when I read it, it made me realise what a rollercoaster it’s been,” he said.

“If someone had offered me this 18 months ago, doing everything I have and even missing out on what I missed, I’d still have taken it.

“I’ve been so lucky. Even if breaking my foot made me miss out on things, it made me sit back and realise just what I’d achieved.”

Strettle admitted that watching the World Cup from his armchair had been a bittersweet experience.

“The only time I ever felt a bit narked off was when England got to the final. I felt brilliant as soon as they got there and then I started thinking ‘you really have missed out’.

“Like most Englishmen I didn’t think they’d get to the final so when they did, there was a tiny bit of me that felt I was missing out, but because I’d got used to the idea it just took me a day or two (to get over it).

 606: DEBATE
Where does Dave Strettle’s England future lie?

“If I didn’t know anyone in the team, I’d probably be bitter, but because they’re your best mates and people you work with, you think ‘they’ve got to win because soon I’ll be in a room and training with them and I hope to God they’ll have a winner’s medal with them’.”

With the retirement of Jason Robinson and Mike Catt from the England scene, places are up for grabs in the back division, and Strettle said he was hopeful his achievements last year would help his cause.

“It’s nice to know I’m not trying to prove to people what I can do, as they’ve seen it before,” he said.

“If I can keep up the form I had going into the Six Nations next year and carry on, things take care of themselves.”

Despite having made his name as a winger, recently he has been turning out for Harlequins at outside centre – but Strettle is not complaining.

“When you play for a Premiership club they pay your wages so if they tell you to play hooker, you do,” he said.

“If I am a winger and I’m meant to be an England winger, playing at centre or full-back can only make me a better all-round player.

“I can learn what a centre needs from a winger and vice-versa – you get a better viewpoint of the game.

“If people say I can play for England at number 13 after playing just three or four games there, it’s amazing that people can think that of me.

“But I’m not going to kid myself – you’ve got to put in the hours and learn a new trade.”

And having come so close to playing in the World Cup, Strettle said he felt he had set himself a standard he had to meet again.

“Having missed out through injury, you feel something has been taken away from you,” he said.

“You got there and it was taken away so you feel like you’ve already achieved something and if you don’t do it again, you’re lowering your standards.

“If I hadn’t achieved it and I’d been dropped, I’d always feel I never quite got there, but knowing I was going to be taken, it’s a case of getting back to that level.”

Martin Johnson has ruled himself out of contention for a coaching or managerial role with England at the present time.

The 2003 World Cup-winning captain has been tipped for a role at the Rugby Football Union (RFU) since retiring from the sport in June 2005.

Calls for his experience to be utilised have heightened as the RFU look to build on the foundations laid at the 2007 World Cup.

“This is not the right time for me,” said Johnson, 39.
 
“People are assuming I could walk back in but it doesn’t work like that.

“There’s nothing to say that just because you’ve played at the top level you’ll make a good coach or manager.

“Sometimes you have the feeling that it’s not the right time to get involved.

“I think I retired at the right time and I think I’ll know when it’s the right time to come back.”

Rob Andrew, the RFU’s director of elite rugby, is due to announce in mid-December the findings from his review of the World Cup.

England progressed to the final in France despite woeful performances in their opening two pool matches.

Andrew is keen to ensure the mistakes made following England’s 2003 triumph, when they plummeted down the world rankings, are not repeated in the build-up to the 2011 tournament in New Zealand.

“There’s a perception that I will turn up and everything will be all right,” said Johnson.

“When things are going badly for England the coaches will not tell the players anything different to what I’d tell them.

“I’ve not coached any rugby team let alone the England team.

“It’s a very interesting time because a lot of the older players who started in the World Cup final naturally will be finishing their careers in the next year to 18 months.
“It’s very important that transition gets managed and I think we need an experienced guy in there that can do that.

“I’m not an experienced manager or coach so I’m sort of ruling myself out with the word experience.

Andrew will issue recommendations on the make-up of the coaching team, with coach Brian Ashton expected to be retained.

The former England fly-half may move to a more hands-on role within the team and it has been reported that a team manager will be appointed.

Since retiring, Johnson has had no direct involvement in professional rugby, instead spending time with his family, pursuing commercial interests and fulfilling a number of ambassadorial and media commitments.

“If I ever got involved as manager of England then I’d want to do it with a bit of experience behind me,” said the former Leicester lock.

“I’d never be arrogant enough to assume that I could go in and be a national coach or manager without any experience.”

Johnson, who has also been touted for a position with the British and Irish Lions for their tour to South Africa in 2009, added: “You’ve got to want to go and do something.

“You’ve got to have a passion and enthusiasm to get back involved. When I get that feeling, I’ll look to get back involved.

“Playing the game is what I got involved in rugby for. I didn’t get involved so that one day in the long term I could go and coach.”