Ashton keen to stay in England job

Brian Ashton admits he is keen to stay on as England coach after guiding them to the Rugby World Cup final.

Ashton recovered from a stuttering start to the tournament to steer England through four successive wins that earned them a shot at becoming the first side to retain their title against South Africa.

England could not pull off that feat, losing the final 15-6 to the Springboks, but Ashton has surely earned the right to oversee the overhaul of an ageing squad that lies ahead.

“It won’t be my decision and we will see,” Ashton told BBC Radio Five Live’s Sportsweek.

“I need to sit down and talk it through with a variety of people. I love the job, and, on reflection, I would rather stay than not but it’s not my decision.”

Ashton is justifiably proud that England, written off as no-hopers after a 36-0 hammering against the Springboks, rallied so strongly.

“No-one gave us a cat in hell’s chance after the South Africa defeat but we pushed them right to the wire in the final.

“The better team always wins and we take our hats off to South Africa. They have been consistent throughout the tournament and they deserved to be world champions but we are bitterly disappointed because we felt we had a strong chance of winning the game.”

Ashton dismissed the controversy of Mark Cueto’s disallowed ’try’ adding: “The fact is it wasn’t a try because the video ref said it wasn’t and that’s it.

“As for what difference it would have made you just don’t know. We could have got the try and still lost the game. We had a couple of chances after that but we were not clinical enough.”

Clive Woodward, who guided England to the world title in 2003, said: “The guys gave it everything and everyone should be proud of Brian and the players for the way they bounced back in the tournament.

“I think the best team in the world cup won it. It wasn’t a great game of rugby but South Africa played a disciplined game. They wanted to play in England’s half and not give (Jonny) Wilkinson any kicks at goal and he only had two all night.”

Lineout king Victor Matfield was voted man-of-the-match and Woodward felt that had been a key area.

“Their lineout was exemplary,” he said. “Our scrum was very good but our lineout didn’t really function and theirs was fantastic.”