Ben Foden scored against France during the Six Nations but will hope to see more of the ball on the summer tour of South Africa © PA Photos

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Players/Officials: Brian Ashton | Mike Catt | Ben Foden

Tournaments/Tours: England tour

Teams: England

England fullback Ben Foden has backed Mike Catt to impress during his interim spell as backs coach, while former boss Brian Ashton has distanced himself from a role within the international set-up.

Catt took on the role of backs coach on Tuesday with Wayne Smith and Andy Farrell both turning down the opportunity to become involved in Stuart Lancaster's coaching team. With England scoring just seven tries during the past Six Nations, Catt will look to unleash their attacking potential with Foden, Chris Ashton and Owen Farrell seemingly at the forefront of England's charge ahead of their five-match tour of South Africa.

Foden, who scored just once during the Six Nations, has lent his support to Catt and claims his experience will prove to be instrumental in getting the back five firing.

"Catty has won a World Cup with England and what we are trying to achieve with England is to build towards the next World Cup," Foden told the Daily Telegraph."I have heard that he is a very good attacking coach. I haven't worked with him before, but from afar he looks like a guy who knows his rugby and lives and breathes it.

"He has played against some of the world's best players and knows how to break down defences and be tactically minded and that is what you need at international level. We came under pressure during the Six Nations from people who said we weren't releasing the wide players or taking our chances, and hopefully Catty will provide the finishing touches to that.

"We will see how it goes over the summer but the boys will be willing to work hard for him. We will try out best and if we have a successful tour then there is no reason why he shouldn't get the job."

Former England boss Brian Ashton, who also ruled out a return to a full-time coaching role, claims that if Catt can transfer the same mindset he had as a player into his coaching, then he has the potential to secure the job permamently.

"The ball is in Mike's court," Ashton said. "As a player Mike was quite an innovative sort of guy and if he can translate that into his coaching then he will be an interesting prospect."