England Under-21s’ coach Mallinder likely to join senior coaching squad

ENGLAND could add a Grand Slam-winning coach to their backroom team for this summer’s tour of Australia.

Jim Mallinder, who masterminded England Under-21s’ Six Nations clean sweep during the past two months, is a likely recruit for senior squad duties when the struggling world champions tackle Australia in Sydney on June 11 and Melbourne six days later.

Pressure is mounting on head coach Andy Robinson and his support staff, with Phil Larder, Joe Lydon and Dave Alred all in the firing line following another miserable RBS 6 Nations campaign that saw England lose three successive games to equal last season’s dismal fourth-place finish.