A period of reflection, Brian Ashton said, was what he now required. Already there are signs that England will postpone naming their team to play Ireland until Wednesday, 24 hours later than normal, while their head coach scratches his head about why the teams he prepares so regularly take the field and do what they said they would not.

How mixed are the messages radiating around England in this RBS Six Nations Championship that, regardless of the result at Twickenham on Saturday against Ireland, their tournament will now end in mediocrity yet again. If Wales, unbeaten and with home advantage on the championship's final weekend, dispose of France and England discover the ability to score some points and bring to an end Ireland's run of four successive wins between the two nations, they could be runners-up but few would bet on it.

Instead Wales, the side they could, and arguably should, have beaten at Twickenham on the championship's first weekend, will prepare for what would be their second grand slam in four years with no injury concerns. Warren Gatland's team would still win the title if they lose to France by fewer than 20 points, such is their advantage on points difference.

But even if England finished second, how much would they have learnt from this yo-yo campaign to take with them to New Zealand in June, where the All Blacks lie in wait in Auckland and Christchurch? Even though Ashton vehemently denied suggestions that he might experiment this weekend, change there must be to give the team greater direction.

Twice already in the past month, Ashton has removed Jonny Wilkinson from the field - in Rome and at Murrayfield - and he must be contemplating the removal of the 2003 World Cup winner from the team altogether. “I was yearning for anyone to open the door but we never got into a situation to do it,” Ashton said after the 15-9 defeat.

There must be a time when players take responsibility and twice now, against Wales and Scotland, they have not. “You can be as technical as you like but you have to go out and perform,” Phil Vickery, the captain, said. “You have to grind it out, hit 50 rucks, make your tackles, that's your job.

“Our record is unacceptable and I have to take it on the chin, I've nowhere to hide. I hope I'll get the chance to play next week but I'm sure Brian will be making some changes.”

It was Vickery who, last week, said that England seemed to come up with the required standard only when their backs were to the wall; that is where they are once more, striving for at least three wins from five and some measure of personal pride.

“We would be doing the Six Nations a disservice if we looked upon the competition as an opportunity to experiment,” Ashton said, agreeing that Murrayfield was England's most ineffectual game since the pool match with South Africa in last autumn's World Cup. But he has options: Charlie Hodgson returned to international rugby for the first time in 16 months when he replaced Wilkinson on Saturday and Danny Cipriani will be back in the England camp tonight after last week's transgression.

As luck would have it, Saturday was probably a good game for Cipriani to miss after being dropped from the starting XV for being seen early on Thursday morning outside a London nightclub. “A massive over-reaction,” Sir Clive Woodward, the former England head coach, said yesterday of Cipriani's suspension. “If I'd dropped every player who had not got to bed by 1 o'clock, I wouldn't have had anyone in the team.”

Ashton will shrug off such unhelpful comments. “I have every confidence England will bounce back - they have to,” he said, offering the same observation about Wilkinson. But Cipriani played the last quarter of yesterday's Guinness Premiership win for London Wasps over Harlequins and if Ashton wants to give him a start, then far better at Twickenham on Saturday than Eden Park on June 14.

Mark Cueto (the Sale Sharks wing requires a scan to a damaged hamstring) and James Simpson-Daniel offer alternatives to Lesley Vainikolo, James Haskell may be fit enough to resume in the back row, Joe Worsley may deserve consideration there, too. Scotland, meanwhile, will travel to Rome to play Italy without Rory Lamont, who requires surgery for the facial fracture suffered against England, and probably Ross Ford, who has damaged ligaments in his right ankle.