The England team manager, Martin Johnson, may be offered the chance to stay in his job after a disappointing World Cup. It was reported on Mondaythat the Rugby Football Union wants only to change his coaching team.

The Daily Mail reported that the RFU wants Johnson to "freshen up" the England set-up. At the World Cup in New Zealand, in which England were beaten by France in the quarter-finals, Johnson was assisted by John Wells (forwards), Graham Rowntree (scrum), Mike Ford (defence), Brian Smith (attack) and Dave Alred (kicking). Rob Andrew, the RFU's professional game director, is expected to deliver an update at a board meeting on Wednesday on Wednesday.

Johnson, whose contract runs to the end of the year, has not indicated his intentions. His position was a subject of conversation at yesterday's Heineken Cup launch, which was held at Twickenham. Richard Cockerill, the director of rugby at Leicester, was among those coaches to deny any interest in the England job, saying he was "not interested at all".

Northampton's director of rugby, Jim Mallinder, a former England Saxons coach, said: "At some stage every player should aspire to play for his country and that is the same for coaches. You should always aspire to be the very best you can be. If one day I ever have that honour then it will be something very difficult to turn down."