Brian Ashton was reassured last night that his position as England head coach is not under threat, at least until the summer. Rob Andrew, the director of elite rugby at the Rugby Football Union (RFU), insisted that there will be no “kneejerk reaction” to another hugely disappointing RBS Six Nations Championship campaign and that a change in leadership before the two internationals against New Zealand in June is “not something I would consider at this point”.

For the fifth successive season since they won the 2003 World Cup, England will go into the final round of the championship, at Twickenham tomorrow, as title also-rans. But amid a growing clamour against a sustained period of mediocrity by one of the rugby world's richest and most populous nations, Andrew told The Times that there is light on the horizon.

The championship will be decided between Wales, who are hoping for their second grand slam in four seasons, and France, the defending champions, in Cardiff. Andrew - a World Cup finalist in 1991 - maintained that, win or lose against Ireland, Ashton's job is secure. England's campaign will be reviewed once the championship is over, with the coaches receiving their assessment by the RFU on April 14, six weeks before the squad leaves to play New Zealand. Change between now and then is not on the agenda, Andrew said.

Ashton has been accused of weakness, both in his preparation of the team at the World Cup last autumn, when England reached the final, and in this Six Nations, as well as attracting criticism for his treatment of his fly halves, Jonny Wilkinson - who has been dropped from the starting XV against Ireland - and Danny Cipriani, who was omitted against Scotland last weekend for “inappropriate behaviour”.

Andrew lists the wasted years since England won the World Cup, the infighting between the RFU and the Guinness Premiership clubs and the season's structure as reasons for England's inconsistency over the past six weeks. “We have the least experienced side in the Six Nations,” he said. “There was huge expectation because we reached the World Cup final four months ago, then a lot of experience left the side after that. But there is plenty of confidence about where the English game is going.

“It's not as though people are in either the RFU or the clubs camp now. We're trying to break that down, with coaches moving between the two in a way that benefits everyone. We're working hard to produce better young players to play for England in the future. The building process for 2011 [when the next World Cup is played] is under way.”