(Reuters) - Andrew Strawbridge will join England as an assistant coach and coaching advisor ahead of the summer tour of Japan and New Zealand, head coach Steve Borthwick said on Tuesday.
The 59-year-old has been appointed to a permanent role after coming in on a temporary basis as a skills consultant in January when it was also announced that Kevin Sinfield would leave his assistant coach role after the summer tours.
Strawbridge was with the England team in the first four weeks of their Six Nations campaign.
The New Zealander was a skills consultant with the All Blacks, helping them reach the final of the 2023 Rugby World Cup.
He previously coached at North Harbour and Auckland, worked with New Zealand's highly successful under-20s team, and spent several years with Waikato.
"His extensive coaching experience in Super Rugby and the international arena, as well as his expertise in player development, complements our existing coaching group well," Borthwick said in a statement.
Strawbridge said he had been impressed with England's desire to grow and compete during his time with the squad in the Six Nations.
"I am immensely proud to be involved in the England coaching group and look forward to playing a part in helping the team achieve its goals," he added.
(Reporting by Shifa Jahan in Bengaluru; Editing by Peter Rutherford)
