RFU still to announce Robinson fate

Twickenham top brass were still unable to make an announcement about England head coach Andy Robinson's departure on Tuesday - 72 hours after his final game in charge.

It is believed Robinson will resign, rather than be sacked, from a post he has filled for the past 22 Test matches.

England won just nine games during his time at the helm, their 13 defeats including a run of seven successive losses between February and November this year.

The last straw was Saturday's 25-14 defeat against South Africa - England led 14-3 just before half-time - making his exit inevitable.

Robinson was involved in talks with Rugby Football Union elite rugby director Rob Andrew yesterday, with severance pay details top of the agenda.

Discussions continued today, although it is not known whether Robinson was involved, but Andrew left Twickenham just before 3pm without commenting to waiting journalists or television crews.

Robinson should have been in Paris on Tuesday for the start of three days' World Cup planning meetings - but that trip was aborted, with team manager Viv Brown representing England.

Andrew could take a more hands-on role with England - working alongside existing coaches Brian Ashton, John Wells and Mike Ford - although overseas candidates such as Warren Gatland and Nick Mallett, together with England's World Cup-winning captain Martin Johnson and current Harlequins rugby director Dean Richards, all have their supporters.

England launch their RBS 6 Nations Championship campaign against Scotland at Twickenham in little more than nine weeks' time.