England coaching team 'will not change' in summer

Wednesday 24 March 2010
Published By: Amy Nicholson
International Rugby > England

England's coaching setup will not be changed ahead of the summer tests, according to coach Martin Johnson.

He will meet with elite rugby director Rob Andrew soon in an attempt to address the problems facing the side but said that he will resist any plan to alter the current coaching setup.

Since winning the Six Nations Grand Slam and World Cup in 2003, England have played 26 games away from home against New Zealand, Australia, South Africa, Ireland, Wales, France, Scotland and Argentina and have only won three times.

After another failure to pick up any silverware in 2010, many have called for a major change to the way in which the team is run in order to return to the consistency which made them world beaters under Clive Woodward's tenure.

But Johnson remains stoic in the face of criticism and said the final Six Nations match against France illustrates why effecting a change at this stage would undo the progress which England have made during his reign.

"What did France do against us? They won the game. Our coaches did a great job in calling the game and, although we lost, we did the things we said we wanted to," he said.

Fingers have been pointed at the way in which Johnson's men attacked, however, with the team's offensive efforts not able to match the exertions of 2009.

Last year, England scored 16 tries in the Six Nations - this year, a meager six, and although they did not concede a single try away from Twickenham, it is this failure to excite which has led to the critics sharpening their claws.

Posted by Amy Nicholson