When I was finishing over there around 2001 the crisis had begun, but nobody could see it. The in-fighting between the clubs and the RFU died just enough for them all to sign up to England Rugby Limited. That was supposed to bring harmony but clearly it never did.

Because there was such an outstanding group of players at the time, it was all hidden away. There was the World Cup win, Northampton and Wasps won Heineken Cups and English rugby was at its peak, or so everyone believed.

But the structures were wrong as has been proven by the decline since.

Why are the structures wrong? Where to start? Well, firstly there are so many foreign players at English clubs and there is nothing the RFU can do about it. With individuals owning clubs the nature of the game is selfish.

Why wait for an academy player to come through when they can sign a big-name overseas player, get instant success and bring in the crowds while they are at it.

There is also a fear of relegation that doesn't exist in the Magners League. If you lose a few games at the start of the Premiership season, the chance of some of the younger players getting a game goes out the window.

Add to that the huge number of games players are expected to play and all these things means the skill level of English players is way below an acceptable level, meaning they just can't compete on the international stage. And that's what made Andy Robinson's job so tough. Then again he knew what he was letting himself in for having been part of the system between coaching Bath and being forwards' coach with the English set-up. When Clive Woodward left he said there needed to be more training days with the national squad. That was never going to happen. Woodward knew that and I think deep down Robinson knew it too.

He's quite a stubborn and determined individual and I think he wanted to push on with the job but that was never going to happen. Back in April, the RFU got rid of a number of coaches. Their international structures had blatantly failed them for two years but during this clearout they left him in charge, making him a scapegoat and leaving the press to have a go at him. That was short-term thinking and got them away from any blame. But they should have got rid of him then as well.

Whether Ashton is the solution, it's hard to know.

He's certainly not going to have them challenging in the Six Nations or the World Cup but there isn't a coach alive who could. The confidence is clearly low and too often they look a beaten group of players. I know Brian quite well because he would have coached me a little when he was over Ireland. He's very well regarded on the field and he would be a very good coach technically but there are major question marks over his man management.

He was a backs' coach with England up to now and that would have suited him perfectly but I'm not so sure about him in the main role.

They are talking about having a team manager in Dean Richards which would just leave Ashton in control on the field and that would be very important if they are to stop going backwards. He has said himself he doesn't want to deal with the politics.

That was one of his problems when he was in charge of Ireland. Fair enough, he was trying to do things that were a little bit more advanced for us but there was more to it. He wasn't in control off the field. He struggled with the Irish politics.

He wasn't really picking the team at that stage. There were a number of selectors who were there and he clashed with them too.

Whether he has similar problems in England, only time will tell. But he could do without that because he has enough problems as it is.

Niall Woods is a former Irish international who played with both Harlequins and London Irish. He is currently chief executive of IRUPA In conversation with Ewan MacKenna