Brian Smith was last week recruited by the Rugby Football Union as attack coach under new team manager Johnson, in the hope that he can give England the same kind of cutting edge that won them the 2003 World Cup.

In his last role, as director of rugby at London Irish, the former Australia and Ireland international built a reputation as an innovator and, under him, the Exiles were arguably the most exciting team in the Guinness Premiership.

Now he wants to do the same thing at international level. “I want us to threaten the defensive line from every position,” he said.

“Players want to play an exciting and expansive brand of rugby and they want to win. I believe we can do both those things and that’s the sort of game I’m interested in coaching.

“Things won’t happen overnight but they certainly will happen. By the end of the November series there will be an England style of game in place that players will have to fit in to.

“Hopefully that’s an expansive, attacking approach that’s also very effective.”