New England chief Johnson to face a mighty battle to sign-up Northampton coach Mallinder

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It means London Irish player-coach Mike Catt is now favourite to become Johnson's right-hand man when he begins his £300,000-a-year contract with the Rugby Football Union on 1 July.

Mallinder, a former Sale and England Saxons coach, is now director of rugby at Northampton and has guided them back to the Premiership.

But the club's owner, Keith Barwell, said: "We'll fight Johnson tooth and nail. Jim's a hero in Northampton. I don't care what it takes - I'll double his salary, do whatever needs to be done.

"We're very ambitious and Jim has two years of a three-year deal left to run. In the final analysis, if Jim did want to go, I wouldn't stand in his way - in the same way as we want our players to play for England. But I'd make it bloody difficult. So let's get ready for a fight."

Catt has spoken to Johnson and is already operating in a coaching role which puts him ahead of Austin Healey, one of Johnson's closest friends, in the contest for the backs specialist vacancy created by the sacking of Brian Ashton.

"I'd love to work with Jonno," said Catt. "He's got a wealth of knowledge on the game, he's very experienced, his man-management is very good and he's got the utmost respect from people in the game. When he says something you do it, otherwise you suffer the consequences."