"Ashton being offered the national academy job after 22 Tests in charge of England is like Francis Baron being brushed aside and encouraged to become the RFU's new janitor." PA Sport's Andrew Baldock writes

In the end it was painful, pathetic and totally predictable.

One by one, the platitudes arrived.

''While Brian is naturally disappointed that he will not have a role in the new senior structure, I believe the new post that we have offered him as head coach of the national academy is ideally suited to his special talents and expertise,'' said Rob Andrew.

''I am also personally pleased that Brian has been offered a senior post within the RFU which I very much hope he accepts. He still has much to offer England Rugby,'' was Rugby Football Union chief executive Francis Baron's offering.

Then came RFU management board chairman Martyn Thomas' contribution: ''They (management board) were fulsome in their thanks and praise for Brian for the work he has done for England Rugby in difficult circumstances, and in their desire for Brian to play a new role going forward as head coach of the national academy.''

Doesn't it all just make you wince and reach for the nearest sick-bag?

Then again, why should anyone expect the RFU to say it as it really is, or admit the slightest sense of guilt over the way they have treated former England head coach Brian Ashton.

Ashton being offered the national academy job after 22 Tests in charge of England is like Baron being brushed aside and encouraged to become the RFU's new janitor.

Go on Francis, you know it makes sense.

You made a pretty decent fist of running the RFU, but now we'd rather like you to check the West Stand toilets, decorate England's dressing room and fix that dodgy generator by the burger vans.

Busted flushes? Papering over cracks? No need to go any further with this one, really, is there?

Heading up the national academy is an important role, one that Ashton has previously filled and one, I would imagine, that continues to have its attractions.

But by offering him that post, the RFU has merely confirmed the glaringly obvious assumption from outside Twickenham that they could not really give a damn what Ashton does.

What really fascinates though, is the chain of events that ended with Ashton losing his job.

Andrew's post-World Cup review, completed less than four months ago, recommended Ashton should continue as head coach.

Now, following an RBS 6 Nations campaign that saw runners-up England record their best finish since 2003, Ashton has gone - 179 days after his team contested the World Cup final.

My understanding is that Andrew might have been instructed to approach Johnson by senior RFU figures unhappy with what I am led to believe were his original recommendations - Ashton as head coach, former England captain Phil de Glanville as manager, but mainly with administrative responsibilities.

That, it appears, was a totally unsatisfactory situation for the management board's hawkish elements.

If Andrew was indeed forced to look elsewhere, then it begs a serious question about the authority his exceptionally well-paid job holds.

Surely, there can be no point to it. Why not make certain senior RFU figures thrash out every decision and by-pass those people they have appointed to make the tough calls?

Andrew, it is safe to assume, will not feature on Ashton's Christmas card list this year.

Then again, the former England fly-half will not be alone.

And before I forget, here are the names of the 14 management board members who approved Johnson's appointment and confirmed Ashton's demise.

They are Baron, Andrew, Thomas, Nick Eastwood, Paul Vaughan, Rob Udwin, Bob Taylor, John Owen, Peter Wheeler, Jon Dance, Peter Baines, Paul Murphy, Ian Metcalfe and John Douglas.

If you fancy dropping any of them a line - maybe on behalf of an ex-England head coach they largely chose to ignore - the address you want is Rugby Football Union, Rugby House, Rugby Road, Twickenham, Middlesex, TW1 1DZ.

I am sure they will be pleased to hear from you.

Leicester head coach Marcelo Loffreda accepts the Tigers must win their last three Guinness Premiership games to have any chance of reaching this season's title play-offs.

But that target could prove a tough one, based on the evidence of Tuesday night's tame first-half display at Bath.

Just three days after surrendering the EDF Energy Cup, Leicester again performed with hardly a whimper as Bath blew them away.

It's early days for Loffreda, who only took charge at Welford Road earlier this season, but Leicester and their supporters rate any campaign without a trophy as abject failure.

Rumours have circulated for a while about a degree of unrest in the camp.

Leicester normally put that type of speculation to bed by performing where it really matters - on the pitch - but Tigers are currently struggling, and an interesting summer could lie ahead.