RUGBY WORLD CUP: May out of England’s clash with Uruguay

England’s 2015 Rugby World Cup campaign will come to an end win, lose or draw this weekend, but Jamie George insists the journey to Japan starts now.

Head coach Stuart Lancaster has made eight changes to the starting XV toppled by the Wallabies on Saturday, with scrum-half Danny Care, wing Jack Nowell and full-back Alex Goode making their first appearances of the World Cup.

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”.

“Training on Tuesday was a lot more upbeat and there are guys who are still downcast, but we are putting that behind us”.

Anger and disappointment remain palpable in England following the hosts’ humiliating 33-13 defeat to Australia at Twickenham.

Lancaster’s side managed a single win in the group stage against Fiji, but were subdued by a gallant Welsh team 25-28.

Burgess’ selection by England at the World Cup, less than a year after switching codes from league, has divided opinion. However, England lost the game while Burgess was on the bench after he was substituted.

Mako Vunipola replaces Joe Marler in the pack, while Nick Easter and James Haskell come in for Ben Morgan and Tom Wood.

Geoff Parling said earlier in the week it has been a tough match to prepare for after the devastation of their early exit but for Ford, it gives him a chance to nail his colours to the fly-half mast after being dropped for their games against Wales and Australia.

Ford learned rugby union while he was at the school but he was also a promising rugby league player and was at the Bradford Bulls Academy at the same time as another recent headline-maker, Sam Burgess.

Chief executive Ian Ritchie said, on englandrugby.com: “I would like to stress there will be no hasty reaction to England’s performance in this World Cup”. “It’s not even a disagreement because we are on the same page as each other”, Farrell said.

White’s comments about his previous brushes with the vacancy, though, may not influence the Rugby Football Union to view him favourably this time around.

“But I do think that once we get over the emotion – and no-one is more disappointed than me that we haven’t delivered in the games against Wales and Australia – it shouldn’t take away from the position the team is in at the moment”. “Everyone enjoys the upbeat environment there and loves the way we play”.