Ashes to Ashton
Bath boss would 'offer England a spark of inspiration'
With England poised to make management changes, regular columnist Andrew Baldock throws his weight behind the campaign to reinstall Bath boss Brian Ashton.
A ray of light – and hope – looks set to pierce the gloom which has engulfed Twickenham since England's latest Six Nations flop.
Rugby Football Union top brass are in the final throes of deliberating exactly why the world champions finished outside Europe's top three for a second successive season.
The reasons are many and varied, but a rocket science degree is not required to pinpoint England's chronic lack of flair or invention as a fundamental reason behind their demise.
Two key meetings are scheduled for next week, with the RFU management board making its final Six Nations deliberations on Wednesday, followed by RFU Council members having their say two days later.
While England head coach Andy Robinson will not be a casualty of another poor Six Nations campaign, uncertainty surrounds some of his lieutenants.
Backs coach Joe Lydon, for instance, appears to be on borrowed time, while defence mastermind Phil Larder is another whose future is unclear.
But it looks increasingly likely – despite Bath categorically denying any formal approach from the RFU – that Brian Ashton will link up with his former Recreation Ground colleague Robinson ahead of this summer's two-Test Australia tour.
Ashton, widely perceived as the best backs specialist in England, worked under Sir Clive Woodward's red rose regime before moving to head up the RFU's academy talent and then returning to hands-on coaching with Bath less than four months ago.
Under Ashton's guidance, Bath secured Guinness Premiership survival and are currently preparing for their first Heineken Cup semi-final since being crowned European champions in 1998. They meet Biarritz in San Sebastian on Saturday.
With media speculation raging about Ashton's future, Bath chief executive Bob Calleja did his utmost this week to play the matter down.
"Given the media speculation surrounding the future of Brian Ashton, Bath Rugby would like to clarify there has been no formal approach from the RFU regarding a possible move to a coaching position with England," said Calleja.
"Until such an approach is made, such suggestions remain pure conjecture.
"Brian Ashton is on a long-term contract with Bath Rugby. We recognised his ability as a coach and gave him the hands-on opportunity at Bath Rugby that he wanted, and naturally we would like to retain his services."
That is all fine and dandy, but sources close to the England camp claim Ashton's move is "a done deal", raising optimism among red rose fans that next year's Rugby World Cup defence might not be the non-event it has frequently resembled in recent months.
England's post-2003 World Cup form illustrates the weakest performance by any of rugby union's global conquerors, with just 11 wins recorded from 24 Tests, including a three-season Six Nations record of won seven, lost eight.
England face up to 16 Tests between this summer and the opening 2007 World Cup flurries, so Ashton has sufficient time to make an impression.
It is Ashton's nature to be bold and, while he might require reining in on occasions by the far more conservative Robinson, England should travel Down Under late next month with a fair sprinkling of young talent.
Robinson has announced his intention to rest certain individuals, temporarily hauling them off international rugby's treadmill, so the likes of Josh Lewsey, Steve Thompson and Martin Corry could be left at home, while Lawrence Dallaglio requires important treatment on the ankle he damaged during last year's Lions tour, with props Matt Stevens and Andrew Sheridan both sidelined through injury.
England face Australia, six days apart, in Sydney and Melbourne, which represents a glorious opportunity for outstanding prospects such as Mathew Tait, Tom Varndell, Jon Clarke, Shaun Perry, Alex Brown and Magnus Lund to at least be around a Test squad perhaps in readiness for greater recognition next year.
England will also have Olly Barkley back – a player they missed terribly while he recovered from a thumb injury during this season's Six Nations – and Robinson handing the captaincy to Bath lock Steve Borthwick would provide an interesting alternative from Corry's leadership.
Ashton, assuming there are no late hitches regarding his contract, should offer England a spark of inspiration they have sorely missed during the past two-and-a-half years.
His absence from the England set-up has proved a mystery to match Welsh rugby chiefs' reluctance in terms of appointing Gareth Jenkins as their new head coach.
While it might only be a small step in the short term, there are exciting far-reaching consequences surrounding Ashton's impending arrival at Twickenham.
And when was the last time, in rugby terms, the words exciting and England went together?
