Stuart Lancaster has ‘no problem’ with World Cup review

“You have got to score tries against teams like Australia because they are going to score tries, they are that good”. Step forward Superman. Please.

Host nation England crashed out of the tournament last weekend after just three games and 16 days following a crushing 33-13 loss to Australia, who are Wales’ opponents in a Pool A decider at Twickenham on Saturday.

“This is an opportunity for us to finish the tournament with a strong performance against Uruguay and a chance for the likes of young players such as Jack Nowell and Henry Slade to play in a World Cup”, said Lancaster.

Bookmakers have stopped taking bets on Sam Burgess returning to rugby league amid growing speculation the England centre is planning to quit union less than a year after making the switch from the 13-man code.

Lancaster said he still believed in his “core values” but that England had suffered from failing to “nail” key moments in big games.

“We know they are going to be very passionate and they will be up for the contest for sure”.

Lancaster has born the brunt of the anger directed at England’s World Cup demise and has responded by withdrawing his coaching lieutenants from the media spotlight this week, placing himself in the cross hairs instead. “He’s always been a number six for us, no question”.

Ireland and France have also made it through to the knock-out stages although I think France will make more of an impression.

We saw the impact of having specialists in their positions, and David Pocock and Michael Hooper were both just outstanding. I want to win things with Bath rugby.

“The win percentage was never high enough for me, but I have learned a lot along the way and I back myself to coach at this level, no doubt about it”. Instead he has focused on his job at hand and spoken openly about anything put to him, when asked what he would tell the Stuart Lancaster of 2012 he said with a hint of a smile “Good luck, get a tin hat and a flak jacket”. “We closed that game down, and were brilliant in the last 15 minutes against England, coming from behind and showing maturity to close that game down”. Everything’s in place. The ambition, the facilities, the team I have around me, the coaches, and I’ve re-signed players on the basis that I am selling them a vision for the next four years.

“I have a huge amount of respect for what he has done since he took over in terms of the discipline and the way the players conduct themselves”, he said. “I enjoy my job anyway [as an analyst for SuperSport] too much”.