Just as Brian O’Driscoll wanted to leave the international stage with a Six Nations medal around his neck, so Jonny Wilkinson has his eyes firmly focussed on a gilt-edged finale to a glittering rugby career.

It was in March of 2011 when I first formed the opinion that the future of English rugby was in safe hands having just witnessed their Under 20 side dish out a 15-46 hammering to Ireland in a Six Nations clash in Athlone.

Premiership Rugby chief executive Mark McCafferty will meet with the English clubs today and propose a new approach to the discussions over the future of the Heineken Cup.

Harlequins director of rugby Conor O’Shea has revealed he would be “delighted” to be part of the panel that helps select the new England head coach.

Northampton director of rugby Jim Mallinder has joined former New Zealand assistant Wayne Smith in ruling himself out of contention to be the next permanent England head coach.

Northampton director of rugby Jim Mallinder has joined former New Zealand assistant Wayne Smith in ruling himself out of contention to be the next permanent England head coach.

ENGLAND will name a permanent head coach in time for next year’s summer tour to South Africa, with an interim appointment overseeing the RBS 6 Nations.

Mike Tindall today accused the Rugby Football Union of making him a “scapegoat” in a statement released through the Rugby Players Association

MIKE TINDALL was last night reinstated in England’s elite player squad and had a £25,000 fine reduced to £15,000 after an appeal against the punishment meted out for his off-field World Cup behaviour.

Martin Johnson has launched a passionate defence of England’s under-fire World Cup captain Lewis Moody – and insisted he would make the same choice all over again.

ROB ANDREW admitted the Rugby Football Union had hit “rock bottom” following the publication of damning reports into England’s failed World Cup campaign.

A defiant Rob Andrew has reiterated that he will not resign in the wake of England’s World Cup fiasco, although he believes the Rugby Football Union has hit “rock bottom” after recent events on and off the field.

THE IRFU has given short shrift to suggestions Ireland’s World Cup squad members were worse behaved during the tournament than England’s disgraced team.

The Rugby Football Union have launched an investigation into the leaking of three confidential and damning reports into England’s World Cup campaign.

Lewis Moody today admitted he made mistakes as England captain during the World Cup but insisted he never put commercial gain before his rugby.

A number of England’s World Cup players were “more focused on money than getting the rugby right”, it was reported today in three leaked reports that lay bare the inside story behind the country's worst-ever World Cup performance in New Zealand.

LAST Wednesday’s announcement that Martin Johnson had stepped down as England head coach/manager was not surprising and closed a horrible few months for English rugby after the fallout from their World Cup campaign.

ENGLAND’S RFU were last night offered some respite from the chaos that has engulfed Twickenham by posting a record financial performance of £8.7m (€10m) profit.

CLIVE WOODWARD has claimed the RFU has reduced England to a “laughing stock” and is doomed to make the same mistakes again as they seek to replace Martin Johnson.

Clive Woodward has claimed the RFU has reduced England to a “laughing stock” and is doomed to make the same mistakes again as they seek to replace Martin Johnson.

Northampton 23 Scarlets 28

NORTHAMPTON SAINTS insist there has been no formal contact from England to Jim Mallinder about taking over Martin Johnson’s role — but the Saints insist they will battle to keep hold of their director of rugby.

Former Australia coach Eddie Jones last night expressed an interest in replacing Martin Johnson as the next England team manager, just hours after Nick Mallett had ruled himself out of contention for the job.

MARTIN JOHNSON made a noble exit from Twickenham yesterday after taking the decision to stand down as England team manager on his own terms.

MIKE TINDALL’S Test career appears to be over after his off-field behaviour during the World Cup resulted in him being kicked out of England’s elite squad and fined £25,000 (€29,000) by the England RFU.

New Zealand’s World Cup-winning coach Graham Henry would be interested in working with the Rugby Football Union in a development role.

Flanker Tom Croft has labelled speculation over Martin Johnson’s future as England manager “disgusting”.

MATCH-WINNING Australia flanker David Pocock has laughed off suggestions he is a cheat in the wake of his dominant World Cup performance against South Africa.

Martin Johnson’s future as England manager was thrown into doubt today as the Rugby Football Union began to deal with the fall-out from their ill-fated World Cup campaign.

The Rugby Football Union have launched an investigation into all allegations of player misconduct during England’s ill-fated World Cup campaign.

MARTIN JOHNSON has been backed to continue in his job by the acting chief executive of the Rugby Football Union — before an official review into England’s World Cup failure has even begun.

Northampton forward Christian Day claimed he was not “gouged” by England wing Mark Cueto in written statements to Rugby Football Union disciplinary chiefs, it has emerged.

Rob Andrew is understood to have been appointed as the Rugby Football Union’s new director of rugby operations, with confirmation due later today.

HE’S worked with Jonny Wilkinson and Luke Donald, and if you want to know why you can’t kick frees in Gaelic football, he can tell you. Michael Moynihan spoke to Dave Alred.

IF variety really is the spice of life then the Six Nations, coming as it does so quickly after the thrills and spills of the Heineken Cup, is set to warm the hearts of all rugby enthusiasts over the course of the next seven weeks.

England rugby coach Martin Johnson will have a new boss after the Rugby Football Union’s chief executive John Steele confirmed plans to redefine Rob Andrew’s current role and appoint a new performance director.

England wing Mark Cueto has been cleared to play in Saturday’s second Test against Australia after being found not guilty of a dangerous tackle on Wallaby centre Berrick Barnes.

Rob Andrew has defended his position as the Rugby Football Union’s director of elite rugby in the face of growing criticism.

MARTIN JOHNSON last night revealed his coaching team would remain intact for the summer tour to Australia after branding England’s critics “ill-informed”.

ROB ANDREW reiterated that England will not be releasing James Haskell to play for Stade Francais this weekend.

Rob Andrew reiterated that England will not be releasing James Haskell to play for Stade Francais this weekend.

ENGLAND like to bully teams. It’s their modus operandi. Throughout international rugby history, successful English sides have usually been aggressors.

FORGOTTEN England fly-half Charlie Hodgson has reappeared on Martin Johnson’s selection radar – and Cardiff Blues could find out why today.

MARTIN JOHNSON’S bid to keep his management team in place for the Six Nations could be undermined after it emerged Mike Ford is being considered for the England rugby league head coach’s job.