Coach and captain are inextricably linked. They have to be because one is responsible on the field for carrying out the plans made by the other off it. When the coach changes, it does not mean necessarily that the captain will change, but there is a strong possibility that he will.
So Martin Corry, the Leicester No 8 who has led England into 14 internationals — only four individuals have had a longer captaincy career: Will Carling, Martin Johnson, Lawrence Dallaglio and Bill Beaumont — may not retain the role in the 2007 RBS Six Nations Championship if, as expected, Andy Robinson departs.
Not that the wholehearted Corry has ever taken the captaincy for granted; the nature of his representative career has always ruled that out. But he and Robinson recognised similar qualities in each other, the ability to make up in perspiration what they may have lacked in inspiration.
Corry remains a contender to be captain for the Six Nations, but, like Robinson, he is associated with failure; of his 14 matches he won seven and lost seven, those defeats including four of the past five matches played at Twickenham.
He plays, moreover, in an area of the team, the back row, that has lacked balance for far too long. By early next year, James Forrester, the Gloucester No 8, may be fit again, while Dan Ward-Smith, of Bristol, cries out for recognition with every Guinness Premiership match he plays. These players, rather than the shadow cast last season by Dallaglio, are the primary threats to Corry’s pace in the team.
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But if not the Leicester man, then whom? The members of the coaching panel have to decide whether they are going for the short or long term and this does not seem the time to contemplate the kind of decision made by Geoff Cooke in 1988, when he invited Carling to captain his country at the age of 22.
Strong leadership is required to get through the next ten months, up to and including the World Cup, which would have been the objective for Corry, 33, or Pat Sanderson, 29, who captained England in Australia in June and also remains in contention.
Two priorities: the captain has to justify his place in the team — which, at the moment, rules out Dallaglio — and he has to have a clean bill of health.
One obvious short-term choice is Phil Vickery, the London Wasps prop who returned to the international arena this month after a year away, during which his playing career was threatened by disc problems. Vickery would have almost doubled his number of caps had he not suffered a string of injuries that, it must be hoped, are behind him.
He has done the job twice, he is respected by his peers and has the maturity to handle the public scrutiny. Although he has been captain of Gloucester, it does not matter whether the candidates have club experience of the role because what is required at international level is different.
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Johnson had little enough leadership experience when asked to captain the 1997 Lions in South Africa and he did not turn out too badly.
Charlie Hodgson, Ben Kay, Shaun Perry and Peter Richards have been vice-captains this season, but this is merely giving a title to the jobs performed before the 2003 World Cup by players such as Neil Back (defence), Kay (lineout) and Jonny Wilkinson (backs moves). Of that quartet, Kay might at one time have been a contender as captain, but his place in the second row is far from secure.
Josh Lewsey, another Wasps player, deserves consideration. He has experience and maturity on his side, he knows his own mind and, like Carling, has a dash of military experience in his veins.
That he can set the appropriate example was shown by his last-ditch tackle on Jean de Villiers in the first match against South Africa this month and, like Vickery, he may be a World Cup winner, but he has never been the kind to bask in that limelight.
A third who has not been tarnished by the failure of this past month or on tour in Australia is Steve Borthwick, the Bath captain. Knee damage has kept the lock out of action since late September, but he is a nice amalgam of experience (27 caps), maturity and intelligence and, at 27, he has his best years to come.
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Three candidates waiting in the wings to take over captain’s role
Phil Vickery (London Wasps)
Age 30
Caps 49
Position Prop
For World Cup winner, led England against Argentina (2002) and Uruguay (2003), good technician and highly regarded by his peers
Against His fitness. Vickery’s first international was in 1998 but since then he has missed 49 possible England appearances, mostly through injury
Josh Lewsey (London Wasps)
Age 29
Caps 43
Position Full back/wing
For World Cup winner, fits happily into any game plan, speaks his own mind, natural leader honed by spell in the Army
Against No previous experience as captain, can become frustrated in matches and try to do too much, has suffered from own versatility
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Steve Borthwick (Bath)
Age 27
Caps 27
Position Lock
For Considered leadership material from an early age, natural acceptance of responsibility, club captain, good tactician
Against Huge rivalry for his position — think Grewcock, Kay, Palmer, Shaw, Jones etc. Has yet to impose himself on the international game