Bill Sweeney, the Rugby Football Union's chief executive, has refused to offer any assurances regarding Steve Borthwick's position as England head coach until an internal review concludes at the end of April.
England endured their poorest Six Nations showing since the tournament expanded in 2000, winning just once against Wales while suffering four defeats.
When pressed on whether Borthwick would remain in charge for summer Tests against South Africa, Fiji and Argentina, Sweeney acknowledged problems exist within the setup.
"Clearly, there are some issues and we're getting to them already to see what needs addressing," he said.
The RFU have refused to rule out sacking Steve Borthwick
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The RFU boss confirmed that while post-tournament reviews are standard procedure, this year's disappointing results demanded a "deeper dive" into what he termed an "unusual outcome".
Sweeney moved to quash speculation linking Andy Farrell with a potential return to Twickenham, confirming the RFU has made no approach to the Ireland head coach.
"He's under contract to 2027 and the Rugby World Cup," Sweeney stated. "We are not in a dialogue. We are not in a discussion with him at present."
Farrell boasts an impressive record since departing England, having guided Ireland to two Six Nations titles including a grand slam, while also leading the British and Irish Lions to victory in Australia.
The 50-year-old was dismissed as England defence coach following the disastrous 2015 World Cup pool-stage elimination under Stuart Lancaster. He subsequently turned down an opportunity to join Eddie Jones's coaching staff three years later.
England lost to Ireland, Scotland, Italy and France at the Six Nations this year
| REUTERSSaracens have also been linked with securing Farrell's services.
The review's primary objective centres on establishing appropriate support structures for the current coaching staff rather than seeking Borthwick's replacement.
"I see the outcome of that being for us to make sure we've got the right support mechanisms in place to address them and support Steve to get that right going forward," Sweeney explained.
Despite the on-field struggles, the RFU maintains unwavering faith in the playing squad at Borthwick's disposal.
"We still have absolute confidence in the squad we have got and the talent we have got in there," Sweeney said.
The chief executive emphasised the need to remove emotion from proceedings and focus purely on identifying performance issues and their solutions.
Sweeney also noted that perceptions of Borthwick's coaching qualities have been heavily influenced by recent results, with characteristics previously praised during a 12-match winning streak now viewed differently.
France's last-gasp penalty against England saw them clinch the Six Nations
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England's summer schedule presents a formidable challenge, with fixtures spanning three continents across successive weeks.
The opening match against double world champions South Africa in Johannesburg represents a particularly daunting assignment following four consecutive Six Nations defeats.
Fiji have relocated their home fixture to Everton's Hill Dickinson Stadium for commercial reasons, creating a gruelling travel itinerary covering approximately 25,000 miles.
The RFU explored the possibility of sending players directly from South Africa to Argentina while fielding a reserve side against Fiji, but this option proved unworkable.
Steve Borthwick remains in charge at England for now
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Borthwick remains restricted to selecting a 36-man squad under the Professional Game Partnership agreement with Premiership Rugby.
"There isn't scope at the moment to expand that above 36," Sweeney confirmed. "That's the fixed squad size."