Martin Johnson officially takes charge of England on Tuesday faced with the immediate challenge of restoring the reputation of the red rose jersey, which has been tarnished both on and off the field over the last month.
Two heavy defeats to a rebuilding New Zealand team and a serious sexual allegation made against four members of the touring squad have put English rugby in the spotlight for all the wrong reasons.
The players strongly deny the allegation of rape and/or sexual assault and no formal complaint has been made to Auckland police.
But the over-riding impression of the tour was that England, with the vast majority of the squad under 30, lacked leaders and lost respect.
Critics questioned players for drinking late into night after the first-Test defeat and then allegedly bringing women back to the team hotel.
Johnson missed the tour because his wife, Kay, was giving birth to their second child and stand-in manager Rob Andrew bore the brunt of the criticism for what occurred in New Zealand.
From Tuesday, England will hope to wipe the slate clean.
Johnson will be the man in charge, armed with huge respect and a new agreement between the Rugby Football Union (RFU) and the clubs that will provide England with unprecedented access and control over their players.
Efforts to repair the on-field damage begin immediately, with Johnson to name his senior England squad for the forthcoming season.
The 32-man party is expected to include Wasps' naturalised New Zealand Maori inside centre Riki Flutey but not Danny Cipriani, who does not expect to return from a dislocated and fractured ankle until the end of November - he can be promoted into the squad at a later date.
While RFU disciplinary boss Jeff Blackett is undertaking an inquiry into the behaviour of the 'Auckland Four', Johnson will make his selections on merit alone. Any required disciplinary action would be taken retrospectively.
Johnson may also name his new attack coach. London Irish boss Brian Smith is in line for a position that has not been filled by a specialist for the last two years.
Brian Ashton never appointed a full-time replacement when he took over as head coach at the end of 2006 and senior centre Mike Tindall complained during the New Zealand tour that England's backs had been suffering as a result.
Tindall explained that England's strike moves were limited to less than a handful and that standards were slipping because, with the best will in the world, it was hard for an international back to take advice from a grizzly forwards coach.
England hold a five-day training camp in August and then have a two-week build-up to both the autumn internationals and the Six Nations.
It is the scenario England coaches have been fighting for since Sir Clive Woodward's day.
"This is just the start and it is not a guarantee that England will win every game - but for the first time the players know where they stand and the coaches have time to work with them," said Bath prop David Barnes, Chairman of the Professional Rugby Players' Association (PRA).
"With that kind of access, England's results should improve."
The off-field issues thrown up by the New Zealand tour are broader and more complex.
For the first time, England players will be contracted to the RFU and bound by a new code of conduct contained therein, which replaces the old teamship rules drawn up in Woodward's era.
After the alleged incident in New Zealand, RFU Chief Executive Francis Baron stated England players also need to be educated on how to handle their new-found celebrity status.
The PRA have been attempting to push through player education programmes for some time and now they have a chance to bring those ideas directly to the new Professional Games Board, which will run elite rugby in England from Tuesday.
"We have been consulted before but never had a vote at the top table of English rugby. Now we have a voice loud and clear," said Barnes.
"Through the PGB, we can bring items like player welfare to the table. This is a significant step forward."
Barnes is hopeful the appointment of Johnson, a recent ex-player, as England manager will help the PRA's cause, both in terms of education and player welfare.
Barnes returned on Sunday from the Kilimanjaro Challenge, having spent seven days climbing to the summit of the tallest peak in Africa to raise funds for the PRA Benevolent Fund.
The prop and his three companions are currently on course to raise £20,000.
"It helps the England manager knows the demands of professional rugby from being recently involved in it," said Barnes.
"Rugby is getting more physical and the pull on the charity will only increase. The benevolent fund is such an important charity moving forward.
"At the moment nothing is in place for retired players. At the PRA we are trying to build up some reserves. That is why I went up Kilimanjaro.
"All parties - the RFU, Premier Rugby and the PRA - have a moral obligation to look after the players during and most importantly, after their careers.
"We want to push through the recommendations from the injury audit and the burnout survey. The PGB allows us to do that."
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