If recent reports are to be believed, Brian Ashton is likely to be replaced as coach of World Cup finalists England before the month is out.

Ashton (pictured right) is due to meet the RFU's elite rugby director Rob Andrew on Tuesday to discuss the recent Six Nations in which England finished runners up to Grand Slam winners Wales.

Andrew will then submit a review to the RFU's management board towards the end of the month, at which a decision is expected to be made regarding Ashton's replacement.

The RFU and Andrew have hardly been the most efficient operators when it comes to England's coaching set up, so it is impossible to know what exactly lies in store.

Former England hooker Brian Moore claims a decision has already been taken over Ashton's future, while other reports suggest South Africa's World Cup winning coach Jake White has been lined up to take over.

Whether any of this is true remains to be seen, but Ashton certainly has his critics, despite having guided England to the World Cup final and second place in the Six Nations, their best return for five years.

Ashton might also point out that he has had to deal with a host of retirements and injuries since taking over in November 2006.

He was also forced into taking a nigh-on third string team down to South Africa last year due to the club commitments of many of his first-choice players.

Clearly Ashton has not always been able to select his strongest team, but it is also clear that there has been a great deal of muddled thinking during his time in charge.

A World Cup final is all well and good, but it does not disguise the negatives of a playing record that has seen England lose 10 of their 22 games under Ashton.

His critics will also point to rumours that England only reached the World Cup final because his senior players took charge when it looked like they may stumble at the group stage.

Saturday's victory over Ireland was a much-improved effort to the previous week's loss to Scotland (how could it not be?), but it was still a class below what followed in the match between Wales and France in Cardiff.

With the playing resources available in England, many would argue that Ashton's record is below par. Injuries or no injuries, they would claim England should be able to win far more games than they lose.

For others, it is the way England have played under Ashton that provides the most damning evidence of his time in charge.

Prior to his England appointment, Ashton had a reputation for innovation, with a strong preference for expansive, heads-up rugby.

At the World Cup, that was replaced with a pragmatic approach based on England's forward dominance. This, in itself is not a problem; why not play to your strengths?

But when England have been unable to bully opponents up front they have looked muddled, bereft of ideas and unable to adapt, as we saw against Scotland when they produced one of the worst performances in recent memory.

Clashes in philosophy between Ashton and forwards coach John Wells and defence coach Mike Ford were also widely publicised during the World Cup and did little to engender confidence among the squad.

Second-half collapses in the defeat to Wales and narrow victory over Italy also smacked of a team that had little to no clarity and game-plan. Memories of the World Cup group defeat to the Springboks came flooding back.

When England have been bad under Ashton they have been really bad. As yet, it is not possible to say they have been really good - ever.

The World Cup win over Australia was a superb effort but it contained no tries and stemmed from the Wallabies' front-row problems. Belligerence and physicality won the day.

There is then the small matter of Ashton's questionable selections and his treatment of rising star Danny Cipriani.

Of course Ashton is not the only one at fault and the powers that be at the RFU, and Andrew in particular, should take a long hard look at themselves.

Why, for example, was Shaun Edwards allowed to slip through the net into the hugely appreciative arms of Warren Gatland and Wales?

Why did it take seven weeks for Andrew to complete his post-World Cup report and then offer Ashton a one-year rolling contract that is hardly a vote of confidence?

Where is the team manager that was identified as a requirement back at the World Cup? Why has Martin Johnson not been approached for a role? Why did they persevere with a coaching team that has been clearly at odds with each other?

And what exactly is it that Andrew does for his £400,000 a year income?

There are many questions that need to be answered by Andrew and the RFU and top of that list is the future of Ashton.

The likeable Lancastrian has been in charge for 16 months and clearly all is still not well within the England camp. Maybe it is time to give someone else a chance.

Terence O'Rorke / Eurosport