England ready to stand by Ashton

Despite the wounding broadsides fired by his two most senior players and claims on behalf of Jake White touting the South African for Ashton's job, the 61-year-old Lancastrian has considerable support within the RFU to supervise the rejuvenation plan.

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Hurt: Ashton was criticised by players

The next two days have been set aside for a comprehensive review of the World Cup campaign, headed by director of elite rugby Rob Andrew.

Ashton, understood to have been 'deeply hurt' by the criticism from Lawrence Dallaglio and Mike Catt, wants a clear mandate to continue.

Two urgent problems need to be resolved — Andrew's reluctance to step into a team-management role and Ashton's strained relationship with forwards' coach John Wells.

The issue of their diametrically opposed tactical views will also be addressed during the two-day talks by Kevin Bowring, the RFU's head of elite coaching development.

By the end of it, England ought to have a clearer idea of where they are going and who will be taking them there.

Clearly, any failure to get Ashton and Wells looking at the same hymn sheet, if not singing from it, will inevitably result in one or both going.

Three other England coaches will take part in the post-World Cup operation — Mike Ford (defence), Jon Callard (kicking) and Graham Rowntree, whose specialist work on the front row turned them into a major scrummaging force.

Nobody will be watching developments with more of a vested interest than White.

The 43-year-old has made no secret of his desire to coach England but a claim by his agent that White has spoken to Andrew scarcely amounts to his being offered the job.

"We've expressed an interest and so have they," said the agent, Craig Livingstone.

"We've been talking to Rob Andrew."

That may have only been in the context of the agent's approach.

Only 48 hours earlier, Livingstone was removing White from two other jobs for which he had 'expressed an interest,' Australia and Wales — who spent the weekend in talks in Cardiff with Warren Gatland aimed at finalising a four-year contract worth a minimum of £250,000-a-year.

Livingstone added: "It will be at least six months before Jake makes any decision as to his future."

That hardly sounds like someone about to hop on a plane for London to start planning for the Six Nations.

As Ashton prepares to convince England he has the vision to take them through to New Zealand in 2011 and the conviction to see it through, Dallaglio revealed that he has made an attempt to repair the damage caused by the claim in his book that Ashton did not have all the skills required for the job.

"I phoned Brian because I wasn't happy with the way the comments were portrayed," Dallaglio, 35, said.

"I have spoken to him but what Brian and I said will remain between us.

"I've got one more season at Wasps and I know there are no guarantees about international rugby, especially at my age."