BEIJING, April 18 -- Martin Johnson was appointed England team manager on Wednesday, with Brian Ashton losing the job of head coach.

    In a major shake-up of the national team hierarchy, England's Rugby Football Union said Johnson will be in charge from July 1st even though the former England captain has no coaching experience.

British Formula 1 race car driver Lewis Hamilton (C), former England Rugby Union player Martin Johnson (R) and English Premier League soccer player John Terry (L) attend the NFL football game at Wembley Stadium in London, Oct. 28, 2007. Martin Johnson was appointed England team manager on Wednesday, with Brian Ashton losing the job of head coach. (Xinhua/Reuters Photo) Photo Gallery>>>

    "He will bring a new and fresh approach to team development and preparation in his own inimitable style," RFU elite director of rugby Rob Andrew said on Wednesday. "I would also like to thank Brian for the job he has done in difficult circumstances. He is an outstanding coach and deserves enormous credit for leading England to a second successive rugby World Cup final last year and securing the runners-up position in this year's Six Nations."

    Johnson, who led England to the 2003 World Cup title as a player, will be in charge of appointing the coaching and management staff and the player selection process. He will report to Andrew.

    "It is a great honor to be offered this position," Johnson said. "I am passionate about the England team and delivering success for it."

    The 2.03-meter Johnson made 84 appearances for England, 39 of them as captain.

England coach Brian Ashton attends a training session in Paris Oct. 16, 2007. (Xinhua/Reuters file Photo) Photo Gallery>>>

    Ashton was fired from England's senior team and offered the position of national academy head coach instead. He had been reappointed on an indefinite contract in December after England unexpectedly reached the final of last year's World Cup, losing to South Africa.

    Ashton was England's attack coach before he replaced Andy Robinson in late 2006, after the team lost eight of nine games.

    The RFU said Johnson had kept John Wells as forwards coach and Mike Ford as the defense coach.

    Meanwhile, All Blacks coach Graham Henry has accepted that his controversial conditioning plan was a factor in the team's World Cup quarterfinal loss.

    An independent review, conducted by lawyer Mike Heron and sports administrator Don Tricker on behalf of the New Zealand Rugby Union, concluded that the program contributed to New Zealand's 18-20 defeat by France in Cardiff last year.

    The NZRU, at Henry's request, removed 22 players from the first half of the 2007 Super 14 competition to work on their fitness before the World Cup.

    While this did increase the players' athleticism, it was not well managed and a lack of communication between the NZRU and Super 14 teams was highlighted in the 47-page report.

  (Source: Shanghai Daily)