Same old England await SH giants

England coach Stuart Lancaster said there would be no major changes to his side's strategy and tactics during next month's internationals – despite the involvement of attack guru Brian Ashton.

Former Bath, England and Ireland coach Ashton joined Lancaster's squad at their training base in Surrey, south-west of London, on Monday – where the current Red Rose coaching staff tapped into his knowledge.

Ashton guided England to the 2007 World Cup Final, where they lost to South Africa, but he made his name at international level as backs coach under Clive Woodward in 2001 when the team played some of their most exciting attacking rugby ahead of being crowned World Cup champions in Australia two years later.

However, Lancaster said it would be wrong to read too much into Ashton's involvement just under a year from England staging the 2015 World Cup.

"I don't want to create something that's not there," Lancaster said.

"It's for me to sit down and chat. Different ideas, different perspective.

"He's developed a lot of players, but actually he's developed a lot of coaches. He's somebody I've always stayed in contact with.

"He's a very creative attacking coach (but) we're not going to change anything we're not already doing.

"I think the way in which we try and play the game will remain the same."

However, while England boast a world-class set of forwards, doubts remain about whether they have the backs to test the likes of world champions New Zealand, their opening opponents next month when the All Blacks come to Twickenham on November 8.

"In terms of our attacking mindset, I think we've always had a strong one," Lancaster said.

"We need to beat New Zealand by scoring tries as well as kicking points."

New Zealand are England's first opponents of an end-of-year schedule which sees South Africa (November 15), Samoa (November 22) and Australia (November 29) – opponents in Pool A at the 2015 World Cup – also visiting Twickenham.

AFP