Andrew rules out caretaker role

Rob Andrew admitted last night the removal of head coach Andy Robinson would not solve the "fundamental problem" confronting English rugby and has ruled out any prospect of filling a caretaker-manager role when England begin their Six Nations campaign in February.

Andrew, the English Rugby Football Union's elite rugby director, also insisted there could be no more "sticking plaster" solutions to the long-running political issues which have interfered with squad preparation.

He conceded an overseas-born coach was a possibility after England took a blunt axe to their coaching set-up for the second time in only seven months.

The RFU's move prompted a bitter parting swipe from Robinson, finally prised out of office after a management board meeting yesterday lunchtime with compensation approaching £400,000, who claimed quality coaches were being "sacrificed" because of a fatally flawed structure for developing elite players.

Robinson, who spent a total of six years with the senior England team and has presided over 13 defeats in 22 games since taking over from Clive Woodward, said the current structure was "not working" and that any successor would struggle unless "a sensible platform" was put in place.

But Andrew said the RFU was doing "the right thing" in parting company with the last survivor of their World Cup-winning coaching team and declared that Twickenham would take long-term measures to halt the decline - to solve "the problems which have been going on for the last 10 years.

"The structures in other countries have allowed them to leapfrog England in elite player preparation."

There will be no announcement on the new supremo until next month.

Andrew's recommendations will be debated by Club England on December 7th. The latter will then make their own recommendations which have to be ratified by the RFU's management board on December 20th.

It is very possible a short-term appointment will be made, as many prominent figures such as Warren Gatland and Dean Richards are under contract.

The bookies have made frontrunners of Andrew and the current attack coach, Brian Ashton. As for Robinson, he will be a mere onlooker when England kick off their World Cup campaign against the United States in Lens on September 8th.

Robinson's record

2004

England 70 Canada 0 (Twickenham, Nov 13)

England 32 Sth Africa 16 (Twickenham, Nov 20)

England 19 Australia 21 (Twickenham, Nov 27)

2005

Wales 11 England 9 (Cardiff, Feb 5)

England 17 France 18 (Twickenham, Feb 13)

Ireland 19 England 13 (Dublin, Feb 27)

England 39 Italy 7 (Twickenham, Mar 12)

England 43 Scotland 22 (Twickenham, Mar 19)

England 26 Australia 16 (Twickenham, Nov 12)

England 19 New Zealand 23 (Twick'ham, Nov 19) England 40 Samoa 3 (Twickenham, Nov 26)

2006

England 47 Wales 13 (Twickenham, Feb 4)

Italy 16 England 31 (Rome, Feb 11)

Scotland 18 England 12 (Edinburgh, Feb 25)

France 31 England 6 (Paris, Mar 12)

England 24 Ireland 28 (Twickenham, Mar 18)

Australia 34 England 3 (Sydney, June 11)

Australia 43 England 18 (Melbourne, June 17)

England 20 New Zealand 41 (Twick'ham, Nov 5)

England 18 Argentina 25 (Twickenham, Nov 11)

England 23 Sth Africa 21 (Twickenham, Nov 18)

England 14 Sth Africa 25 (Twickenham, Nov 25)

Overall record: Played 22, won 9, lost 13

At Twickenham: Played 15, won 8, lost 7.

Away record: Played 7, won 1, lost 6.

Points scored: 506 (average 25.3 per game).

Points conceded: 405 (av: 20.25 per game).