Ashton Shown the Door By England As Johnson Joins

Brian Ashton's reign as England's head coach appeared to be over last night when he left Twickenham before today's meeting that will announce that Martin Johnson is to take full control of the team. Ashton, who took England to the World Cup final and their best placing in the Six Nations since 2003, had made it known through friends that he was prepared to work with the new manager. But it is set to be confirmed today that Johnson has plans of his own and Ashton is not part of them.

Rob Andrew, the Rugby Football Union director of elite rugby, will outline the outcome of his talks with Johnson when the management board meets at Twickenham to rubber-stamp the former captain's appointment and Ashton's departure. Andrew is expected to propose that the 2003 World Cup-winning captain becomes team manager, with full control of team and coaching selection. That will go back on promises made to Ashton - and Andy Robinson before him - that they could have a manager of their own choosing.

Ashton had wanted someone to deal with the day-to-day burdens of the media and dealing with the politics involved with the England team. Instead he has been totally undermined and the positions of his coaching team, Mike Ford, the defence coach, and John Wells, the forwards coach, will be in considerable doubt.

All of which means that planning for England's summer tour of New Zealand has been thrown into disarray because Johnson is unlikely to take control until after his wife, Kay, gives birth to their second child. While Andrew and Johnson had been talking, Ashton had been continuing with planning for the tour. Now it appears someone else will have to select the tour party, the announcement of which was scheduled for next month.

Johnson is understood to have held talks with Pat Howard, the successful former Leicester coach who is now back in Australia. Jim Mallinder, Northampton's director of rugby, is another option as a new coaching team is assembled.

The former national coach Dick Best cannot see any way Ashton would continue to work for the RFU. "I find it amazing that in this day and age of human resources they have the audacity to treat someone in this fashion," he said.

"Brian has a very good track record and he is probably still the best attacking coach in the country. I don't think he has been consulted the whole way through the process. It has been incredibly badly handled, but that is in keeping with the way the RFU handle their business.

"Brian is 61. Does he need to be treated like this? He is a very proud man. There appears to be a reluctance to give the coach what he wants. They have ignored his requests and gone out and got their own man. We all wish Martin the very best of luck dealing with people like this."