Northampton Saints are determined to keep Jim Mallinder if England approach the head coach to replace Martin Johnson.
Johnson resigned from the England job this week after a disappointing World Cup campaign.
Saints boss Mallinder has previously said that it would be difficult to turn down an offer for the role, but Northampton chairman Leon Barwell has revealed that he would not want to see Mallinder leave the Premiership club.
"Clearly I would not want him to leave," Barwell told the Northampton Chronicle and Echo. There is nothing official from the RFU. We can only speculate as to what will happen next and who they are looking at.
"Clearly, Jim is a first-class coach and is bound to be in the running for the England job. We will just have to deal with it as to when and if it materialises. Jim and I are in very close contact, and as events unfold we will talk about it and make the right decision.
"But I would try to persuade him to stay. It is a big job for anybody to take on, and we would clearly want him to stay here and continue the excellent work he is doing at Saints."
Mallinder has previously coached the England Under-21s squad and the England Saxons.
