Rugby:Stuart Lancaster will head up an interim England coaching team for the Six Nations that includes Graham Rowntree and Andy Farrell, the English Rugby Football Union announced today

Lancaster will step up from his current dual-role of England Saxons coach and the RFU’s head of player development to take charge until a permanent replacement for Martin Johnson is appointed.

Rowntree is the only member of England’s senior World Cup management team to be retained while Farrell, the former dual-international, has been seconded from Premiership champions Saracens.

There appears to be no place in the set-up for defence coach Mike Ford, who came out badly in the leaked player reviews from the World Cup.

Lancaster, the former Leeds director of rugby, said: "All three of us are really excited about the opportunity ahead.

"Andrew has done an outstanding job at Saracens and the Saxons; Graham has enormous respect from the players and has vast experience and I am confident that we can work well together as a coaching team.

"The World Cup was enormously disappointing but we shouldn't forget that England won 10 out of 13 games this year and a Six Nations title.

"We have a promising group of players to go forward with and the challenge for Graham, Andy and myself is to get the best out of them."