Former England Rugby Head Coach Brian Ashton has left his position as coaching consultant with National Division One club Fylde which has to speculation that he may re-join England.

The RFU dropped Ashton in April 2008 after he led England to the 2007 Rugby World Cup final.

The Lancashire club Fylde say that Ashton has "other options of potential work to consider" and has also taken on an ambassadorial role with Kukri Sports.

Sixty-five-year-old Ashton succeeded Andy Robinson and was in charge of the England Rugby team for 16 months.

Ashton is a highly respected coach globally and was Sir Clive Woodward's England coaching assistant before he ran the Rugby Football Union's national academy for three years.

Yesterday former All Black coach Wayne Smith followed Andy Farrell by rejecting an offer to join Stuart Lancaster as one of his assistant coaches.

The news of Smith came as the RFU confirmed that London Irish attack coach Mike Catt would be taking on a two month contract to assist Lancaster on England's June tour of South Africa.

Catt's appointment is a temporary measure but if Ashton were brought in to assist Lancaster he would bring a wealth of experience and a reputation as one of world rugby's most inventive attacking coaches.

"Brian is a world class rugby coach," Fylde head coach Mark Nelson told the Telegraph.

"We have been incredibly lucky that he has been able to commit the amount of time, expertise and energy to the club over the past two years.

"There are numerous business commitments and opportunities that are developing for him. "

"Of course, he will be sorely missed, but I fully understand and accept his reasons for stepping down.

"I am hopeful that he will retain an input with the coaching at Fylde and, whatever the future holds, his influence on all those he has coached and worked with remains immense."

Ashton may however be reluctant about returning to the England fold as he was thanklessly dumped by Rob Andrew after he stepped in at short notice to replace Andy Robinson and lead England to the Rugby World Cup.