Andrew: No guarantees for Robinson

England’s new director of elite rugby Rob Andrew warned today that Andy Robinson’s job as head coach is not guaranteed through to next year’s World Cup.

Andrew has begun the immense task of overhauling an English rugby structure he believes has been mis-managed for the last three years.

Blame has been apportioned to all quarters and Robinson has not escaped the line of fire, with Andrew criticising England’s selection policy.

Robinson is now under huge pressure to deliver success. England have lost their last five Tests and finished a lowly fourth in the last two RBS 6 Nations championships.

England have fallen some distance behind the world’s leading nations and with the World Cup just 12 months away Andrew demanded immediate action.

“I don’t think we can say ’whatever the results he’ll be in charge for the World Cup’,” said Andrew. “We have to look at how things are going.

“We have got to make sure that by the end of the Six Nations everyone can see there has been a change in gear.

“We have to have a head of steam by the end of the Six Nations to have any chance at the World Cup.

“The model in 2003 was right and it was a fantastic achievement but the world game has moved on quite considerably since then and it is clear from the results that England haven’t.

“A change of direction is needed and it’s needed pretty quickly.”

During his time as Newcastle’s director of rugby, Andrew was often a vocal critic of England’s “muddled” selection policy.

The most famous incidents involved Henry Paul being substituted after just 23 minutes against Australia and Mathew Tait being dropped after one appearance.

The England team will now be selected by a committee which includes Andrew and Robinson plus newly-appointed coaches John Wells, Mike Ford and Brian Ashton.

Robinson, as head coach, retains the casting vote but Andrew is determined to implement a coherent selection policy.

That is a process which stretches further down the structure than just the Test squad and it forms the crux of Andrew’s plans to revitalise England rugby.

“There are too many people who have played for England over the last three years, some of whom haven’t been good enough,” said Andrew.

“The whole structure is about making sure that when a player gets to the elite squad, particularly the sharp end of it, we are in no doubts that player is good enough to play for England and the pressure cooker that playing for England is all about.

“There have been too many on that list who haven’t passed all the tests on the way through and we have to re-address that.

“There are certain positions in the current set-up of English rugby where we don’t have the strength in depth we would like.

“But the long term process is about making sure we constantly have a stream of players in every position who can play for England when called upon.”

Andrew did sympathise with the position Robinson found himself in following Clive Woodward’s resignation in 2004.

Robinson has grown increasingly frustrated at the constant rows over player access while the performances of the England team have been going backwards.

One of Andrew’s over-riding aims is to build effective working relationships with those clubs – but in the short term it is about the autumn internationals, the Six Nations and the World Cup defence.

“Andy has been under a lot of pressure in the last two years,” said Andrew.

“He admits one or two of his selection decisions have not been the best but I think he was left holding the baby after the 2003 World Cup.

“I don’t think he had the support – in coaching or management – which is required at this level.

“That was recognised in the Six Nations review and now we have a very strong structure.

“I am part of a team that is supporting Andy, working with Andy and taking collective responsibility for where we go next with tactics and strategy

“Clearly I have an over-riding role to play in the whole department but the focus of the senior coaching team and myself at the moment is putting together a strategy for the next 12 months.

“Andy is now focusing all his attention on becoming the best head coach he can be in an environment that now supports him both beneath and above.”

The RFU’s chief executive Francis Baron does not expect to be reviewing Robinson’s position between now and England’s World Cup defence.

“We took a lot of tough decision and the intention was to create a coaching structure that would take us through to the World Cup,” said Baron.

“But no-one has a job for life. You have got to perform. We are all bound to deliver but our intention is we want no more changes and want to go forward together as a team and as a group.”