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Two of the hot favourites to take over from Andy Robinson as head coach of World Cup holders England - former Springbok coach Nick Mallett and Harlequins director of rugby Dean Richards - both denied on Monday that there has been any formal approach or that they are interested.

Mallett, despite receiving the public backing of England's World Cup-winning former coach Clive Woodward, on Monday made it clear that he was not interested in the job.

"At the moment, no," Mallett told IOL, when asked if he was keen to take over from Robinson.

"I've got a son going into matric [Grade 12, his final year in school] and I also want to finish my contract with Western Province [which runs until the end of the 2007 season].

"The coach's job is obviously a big story over there [in England], but I've got my rugby commitments here," he said about his position as Director of Rugby at the Western Province Rugby Union (WPRU).

Woodward, who took England to World Cup glory in 2003, in a Sunday Times column at the weekend said that Mallett is the man to put England on the right footing ahead of next year's World Cup in France.

But clearly Mallett is not as keen as many media observers would want their readers to believe.

And Richards, the Harlequins director of rugby, also insisted Monday that he has not been contacted to take over from Andy Robinson as England coach.

The former Leicester rugby director and England No.8 remains favourite to replace Robinson, who was sacked following the dismal November Test series, with defeats against Argentina, South Africa and New Zealand.

Rob Andrew, the Rugby Football Union's elite rugby director, is in charge of moves to find a new England boss ahead of the opening Six Nations Championship game against Scotland less than seven weeks away.

"There has been a lot of talk about me and the vacant England head coach position, but a lot of it has been taken out of context, I feel," Richards, 43, told City AM.

"There has been absolutely no dialogue between myself and the Rugby Football Union, and my sole aim is to concentrate on the bread and butter, which is NEC Harlequins.

"I have never actively shown an interest in the job and from my point of view, I have never gone chasing anything.

"That said, obviously we are talking about a very coveted role.

"To coach your national team is everyone's dream, and if an offer was to come my way then, yes, I would look at it. It would, however, have to be a very good offer to tempt me away from Quins.

"I am very happy here, and I have a job to do," added Richards, who is under contract with Quins until 2008.

The 48-times capped former back row forward's coaching pedigree - two European Cup triumphs and four successive Premiership titles while at Leicester - makes him an obvious target for the RFU.

Andrew, RFU chief executive Francis Baron and management board Martyn Thomas will host a pre-planned media briefing at Twickenham Tuesday, when the coaching issue is certain to be raised.

The next staging post in the coaching debate will be on Wednesday week and a scheduled RFU management board meeting, when Andrew is expected to present his immediate proposals for life post-Robinson.