THIS has been a bruising week for Brian Ashton. The little rugby men of the management committee who, like spoilt children, are crying for a big name to run their national team want Ashton out and Martin Johnson in full charge. Whoever takes control must recognise June’s tour to New Zealand as a fresh start, not a continuation of the Six Nations campaign, which itself should not have been the extension of the World Cup into which it misguidedly evolved.

England have found the source of regeneration in the shape of Danny Cipriani. Without him England could have lost to Ireland; with him they might have won a Grand Slam. He will not always have the almost perfect day but his is the talent around which England should rebuild the team.

His performance was an indictment of Ashton. Cipriani knew who and what was required to unlock England’s attack, but Ashton lacked the courage to select him at No 10 until Jonny Wilkinson played his way out of the team in Edinburgh. Second place in the Six Nations is no defence against wasted potential.

Last week I played devil’s advocate, calling for Cipriani as captain. Given some time to reconsider my immediate reaction to his display, the diabolical strain of the argument has been eroded. He really should lead England.

Why? Because England must make more than a symbolic move to escape their last two World Cups. The constant captaincy of forwards who are trapped in a slow-ball time warp, be they characters as estimable as Phil Vickery, Martin Corry and Steve Borthwick, has successfully resisted both the speed and thoughtfulness of England’s play. The years of 2000-2002, when England were irresistible, are almost forgotten as we trot out those tedious old cliches about keeping it tight because that is what England do best.

The best England team of them all had a back-line whose incisions hurt every bit as much as the forwards’ bludgeons. Only a back in charge is going to force the hand. Vickery is struggling to hold off the challenge of Matt Stevens and James Haskell has done nothing on the field to suggest his football brain inhabits the same universe as that of his club’s fly-half.

Captain or not, he is England’s fly-half for New Zealand and the rest of the year, whatever his form. Sometimes the young need trusting as much as veterans like Vickery and Wilkinson have been when deserted by the muse. If there was a hypothetical 10-point plan, Cipriani’s position as fly-half and captain would be the first two points.

The choice of centres would be points three and four. The obvious foil at inside-centre is Riki Flutey but until he is eligible and inclined to play for England, Shane Geraghty of London Irish should play 12. If and when Flutey teams up with his club-mate, Geraghty could be considered at outside-centre or full-back. England must experiment with their best players to maximise the overflowing talent at their disposal. In New Zealand the answer at outside-centre might be to play the abrasive Jamie Noon in one Test and Mathew Tait in the other. There is no rush for answers and New Zealand is a good place in which to experiment because few expect England to win.

Onwards to point five. The tour would be the perfect time to introduce Danny Care of Harlequins into Test action. If Harry Ellis proves his long-term fitness the two make a superb blend of scrum-halves. Care is the man with the brightest of futures and should travel either as Ellis’s back-up or as first choice.

Point six revolves around player management. Wales opted for talent rather than worried about temperament and perceived personality problems. The net result was a stirring series of performances from Gavin Henson. The rumours that surround the absence of Josh Lewsey concentrate on the spikiness of character rather than form. If he is good enough he should tour, although Mike Brown and Ben Foden offer longer-term options.

Mobility, aggression, youth and size is the quartet of requirements for the front row. Adieu Phil and welcome Matt into the Cornishman’s heroically filled jersey, while Northampton’s Dylan Hartley is the 21st century answer to Steve Thompson.

In the second row athleticism merges with the mundane muscular requirements. If Borthwick has emerged as an anchor, it would be fascinating to see whether Tom Croft has what it takes to be an international lock. Experimentation with youth in the front five would be the title for points seven and eight.

That leaves balance as the ninth rule. Haskell and Lewis Moody rampaging behind Croft is an exciting prospect, but the capacity to drop the gears is also required. Hence the slow but skilled Nick Easter remains cemented in the side.

And so to point 10 – do not be afraid to lose; only in World Cup matches is winning everything. The right man for the 10-point plan is the manager/coach who has the courage to chase the future and learn but not feel beholden to the past. Does Ashton have the courage, or Johnson the inclination?

My 10-point plan

1 Install a fresh face as captain; the bolder, the better – Danny Cipriani is the man

2 Ink Cipriani in as No 10 for the rest of the year

3 Take Riki Flutey, of Wasps, to the Home Office and lock him in until he is English

4 Find a place for Shane Geraghty somewhere in the team

5 Give youth its head at scrum-half and take Harlequins’ Danny Care to New Zealand

6 Manage rather than avoid any personality issues

7 Inject power, pace and youth into the front row

8 Try Tom Croft at lock with James Haskell on the flank to add running power

9 Get the balance right in the back row

10 Do not be afraid to lose