Red Roses set to bolster coaching staff with familiar face after Shaun Edwards addition

John Mitchell has bolstered his England coaching staff with another key addition with Matt Ferguson set to return for a second stint for the Red Roses.

Ferguson previously oversaw England’s forwards between 2015 and 2018 and The Independent understands that he has been hired as an assistant with specialist focus on the scrum and contact areas.

The Rugby Football Union (RFU) had advertised externally for the position after the Red Roses were helped to World Cup success last year by pathway scrum coach Nathan Catt.

The highly-regarded Ferguson has spent the last year as a transition coach at Harlequins following seven seasons at Northampton. During his first stint with England, he was a key figure in converting Sarah Bern from a back rower into one of the world’s best tighthead props.

Ferguson’s return follows the recruitment of Shaun Edwards as a consultant coach with particular focus on defence as Mitchell adds to his backroom team during the WXV Global Series.

England narrowly survived a tight clash with New Zealand at Twickenham’s Allianz Stadium on Saturday having had a 39-match winning streak ended by a draw with Canada a week prior. They take on the World Cup runner-ups twice more in October, before concluding their international year against the United States in New Jersey.

Lock Delaney Burns is thought to be a doubt for those games due to injury in another possible blow to Mitchell’s second row stocks. The England head coach is already without captain Zoe Stratford, Abbie Ward and Rosie Galligan, who are on maternity leave.

A touring squad is due to be announced in the next week before England fly to North America on 8 October. The Red Roses take on Canada in Toronto on 16 October and Ottawa a week later, before the USA game is held at Sports Illustrated Stadium on 30 October.

Harlequins, meanwhile, are thought to have a replacement for Ferguson lined up in a key role after a summer of change in the coaching staff.

Jason Gilmore has taken on the role of head coach permanently and brought in attack coach Brad Cooper, forwards coach Rob Hunter, Jordan Turner-Hall and Sean Long in a backroom overhaul. Robbie Deans has also arrived as a consultant performance director.