Comment: Shameful way to treat an honest servant

9:37am Thursday 17th April 2008

BRIAN Ashton's reign as England head coach is over, and the Rugby Football Union should hang its head in shame.

For the record, Ashton took charge of England for 22 Test matches, winning 12 and losing ten.

Over the same number of games, that was a better performance than either of his immediate predecessors, Sir Clive Woodward or Andy Robinson.

During Ashton's 18-month reign, England also reached the World Cup final and secured runners- up spot in this season's RBS 6 Nations Championship.

But for those hawkish elements of the RFU management board, 61-year-old Ashton never fitted the bill.

And with the much-touted arrival of 2003 World Cup-winning England captain Martin Johnson as team manager confirmed yesterday, Ashton faced an uncertain future.

Whether Johnson wanted him or not hardly matters. It is the RFU's treatment of Ashton that has proved beneath contempt.

And to offer him the role of head coach of their national academy - effectively Ashton's previous job - sums up exactly what they think of him.

It is understood Ashton was not fully briefed about events until yesterday, despite Johnson's name being linked to an England managerial role for the best part of three weeks.

To his eternal credit, Ashton maintained a dignified silence while speculation raged around him. Privately, he is said to be angry and bewildered by the events, and who can blame him?

Ashton has risen above the RFU's appalling treatment of a coach who has given the English game a huge amount at academy, club and Test levels.

Ashton was RFU elite rugby director Rob Andrew's choice to continue in the England job only four months ago, gaining an indefinite re-appointment.

How things have changed in such a short space of time.

Ashton could have done great things for England, especially in terms of overseeing an exciting new generation of players like Shane Geraghty, Danny Care and Dylan Hartley develop into possible World Cup stars.

He needed time and he needed support, but neither were forthcoming, and English rugby will be the poorer for his absence from the senior set-up.

He might head back into the Guinness Premiership - it is difficult to imagine any shortage of job offers - or perhaps a future lies in Italian rugby, where Ashton enjoyed stints in Rome and Milan during a 15-year playing career.

He might even stay with the RFU, but it looks as though Twickenham's loss will be someone else's gain - and they have only themselves to blame.

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