England v Samoa: Mike Catt should change to backs coach, says Kyran Bracken

Putting skills coach Mike Catt in charge of England's backline would help Stuart Lancaster's side find their way, according to former England scrum-half Kyran Bracken.

England's backs have failed to sparkle in the defeats against New Zealand and South Africa this autumn, with Tests against Samoa and Australia still to come.

The current structure has Lancaster overseeing the coaching team of Catt, defence coach Andy Farrell and forwards specialist Graham Rowntree.

"England need to think differently," Bracken, who won 51 caps for his country, told Sky Sports News HQ.

"The forwards are fine but I would love to see Mike Catt having sole reign for the backline - for their moves, for what they do with the ball in the middle of the pitch and for kicking to the corners. At the minute some of the coaching roles are mixed up and that might be the problem." 

Catt, whose full job title is attacking skills coach, won 75 caps for England, with his versatility seeing him picked at fly-half, centre, full-back and even on the wing.

Mistake

Meanwhile, Bracken questioned the wisdom of switching under-fire fly-half Owen Farrell to inside centre, playing alongside Bath fly-half George Ford, against Samoa.

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"Farrell coming in against New Zealand after hardly playing any rugby this season was a big mistake," said Bracken.

"Now he's there they're trying to move him across to centre but that's a concern playing with two fly-halves. 

"Firstly Farrell's not in form and secondly by having two fly-halves you're trying to play a wide game but our strength is our forwards and I would keep the ball closer to the forwards and have a 12 who can get over the gainline.

"I would rather he was rested on the bench and came on for George Ford after 60 minutes. Ford is a good fly-half but there are question-marks over his defence and goalkicking."

But Bracken also defended Farrell against some of the criticism the Saracens player has had to endure in recent weeks, describing it as "a witch-hunt".

"He's not played well in the last two Tests but I still think he'll be England's long-term fly-half," said Bracken. He's not become a bad player overnight: it's a witch-hunt, especially with his dad as coach."

Saracens scrum-half Richard Wigglesworth has been drafted into the squad to face Samoa and Bracken said he would be minded to start with him ahead of Ben Youngs.

Difference

"Wiggleworth is probably the best scrum-half kicker in the Premiership if not the world. He's got a great left boot but he's not an impact sub so if he doesn't start then is he going to come on and make a break or score a try? Probably not.

"His real strength is kicking so I would start with him and have Youngs come on and make a difference."

And Bracken also queried whether England captain Chris Robshaw was worth his place as an open-side flanker.

"I always feel like he's played out of position. He doesn't look like a natural seven and for me he should be in at blind-side with a No 6 on his shirt," said Bracken, who also advocated bringing Toulon's Steffon Armitage into the side.

England have a firm selection policy of not picking players based overseas but Bracken argued that desperate times - Lancaster's side have now lost five Tests in a row - call for desperate measures.

"This would be a great time for him to come in," he said. "I think Stuart said he'd consider it in extreme circumstances and these are extreme circumstances for me. We need a different balance in the back row."

Watch England take on Western Samoa this Saturday, live on Sky Sports 2 from 6.30pm