Northampton vow to reject any England approach for Saints coach Mallinder

The Halifax-born 45-year-old has the best credentials of the home-grown options in the running to succeed Martin Johnson, who stood down after three-and-a-half years as team manager on Tuesday.

The Rugby Football Union may opt to bring in an experienced international operator like Graham Henry, John Kirwan, Jake White or Eddie Jones in an overseeing role above Mallinder as first-team coach, in a restructured England management set-up.

South African Nick Mallett has already ruled himself out of the running having only recently left Italy, while Northampton have moved quickly to protect their sought-after director of rugby.

Saints chairman Leon Barwell has described as a “no-brainer” the decision to keep hold of Mallinder at Franklin’s Gardens.

Mallinder has previously worked in a coaching capacity with England Saxons and England Under-21s.

His Saxons reign produced 15 wins from 16 games, while he led the Under-21s to a Six Nations title success.

While at Northampton – who he is contracted to until the end of the season – he has won promotion, the European Challenge and Anglo-Welsh cups, reached two Premiership semi-finals and last season’s Heineken Cup final.

As a player he represented Sale Sharks with distinction having started his career at Yorkshire sides Old Crossleyans and Roundhay. An England shirt from one of his two caps in 1997 hangs on the clubhouse wall at Old Crossleyans.

Mallinder will get his first chance to either express an interest in the England post or distance himself from it tonight, when he meets the media following Northampton’s home Heineken Cup game with Scarlets.

Barwell said: “Clearly I would not want him Jim to leave – that is a no-brainer.

“There is nothing official from the RFU. We can only speculate as to what will happen next and who they are looking at.

“Clearly, Jim is a first-class coach and is bound to be in the running for the England job. We will just have to deal with it, when and if it materialises.

“Jim and I are in very close contact, and as events unfold we will talk about it and make the right decision.

“At the moment the RFU is still reviewing events and it is not clear as to what is going to take place. The process cannot begin until a structure is sorted out, and we will find out that within the next few days and weeks.

“But I would try to persuade him to stay. It is a big job for anybody to take on, and we would clearly want him to stay here and continue the excellent work he is doing at Saints.

“Jim is an excellent coach, and I think that whatever he puts his mind to he has got that determination to succeed.”

Former South Africa and Italy coach Mallett revealed he was approached by the RFU this week about the prospect of taking charge of England, should Johnson resign.

But Mallett has decided against moving from South Africa.

“I would like to lay to rest the speculation linking me to the now-vacant England rugby coaching position,” Mallett said in a statement issued by his management company Prosport International.

Meanwhile, England’s World Cup captain Lewis Moody revealed he is “genuinely gutted” that Johnson has quit.

Moody, who retired from international rugby after England’s disappointing World Cup performance, believes Johnson is still the best man for the job.

“I am genuinely gutted for Martin and the team to hear that he has decided not to continue in the role,” said Moody.

“Having taken England to a Six Nations win for the first time in seven years and achieved 10 out of 13 wins this season, he has been a great asset, and in my eyes was the right man for the job – to take them forward to 2015.

“He was a great man to work with and under and I know that the rest of the team will agree that he will be sorely missed.”