Who was on the shortlist to replace Martin Johnson in 2011 & how they would've got on

The RFU eventually caught everyone off-guard, appointing Stuart Lancaster, who was at one point 30/1 for the role.

Here were the initial top contenders for the job, according to The Telegraph...

What they said then: Former Saracens head honcho took the Premiership club from also-rans to title contenders in one season. Has proven adept at developing young English talent and striking the right balance between off-field socialising and on-field harmony. But he may be interested in the South Africa job.

How would they get on: Ruthless. He would have came into the job and dumped anyone from the senior squad he didn't rate; just like when he arrived at Sarries when 15 players were told they didn't have a future.

Former England scrum-half Matt Dawson once called him “an out-and-out thug” in his autobiography.

Venter may not have won any popularity contests, but he'd of assembled a squad that would have been ready for any challenge.

What they said then: The Northampton Saints coach is the current bookies' favourite for the post. He is a former England Saxons coach who won two England caps in 1997 and guided Northampton to the Heineken Cup final last season. He has also admitted he would be interested in replacing Johnson, saying: "If one day, I ever have that honour, it would be something that would be very difficult to turn down."

How would they get on: With Mallinder at the helm, England would have undoubtedly reached the knockout stages in 2015. Highly respected for the work he did with Northampton and Sale, he wouldn't have done bad, but not great either.

What they said then: The most sought-after coach in the world right now, Henry ended 24 years of New Zealand hurt this year by guiding the All Blacks to Rugby World Cup victory on home soil. His record is unsurpassed, having won 85.4 per cent of Tests as NZ coach, winning 88 of his 103 Tests.

How would they get on: An experienced head. He had nothing left to prove - and probably wouldn't have been the right choice. England needed a new way of doing things, hence why they eventually opted for Lancaster.

What they said then: The South African led the Springboks to success at the 2007 World Cup and has admitted he wants to coach an international side again. He certainly has the pedigree, but his current role with the Brumbies may make it difficult for the RFU to lure him to Twickenham this time round.

How would they get on: Tactically similar to Lancaster and a strong man-manager, White actually would've fit the bill perfectly. If they could have convinced him to take the role, he'd of give England their best chance of success at the 2015 World Cup.