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LONDON – England rugby bosses insisted on Sunday there would be no “hasty reaction” as to coach Stuart Lancaster’s future after the team’s World Cup exit at the hands of Australia.

Lancaster has a contract until 2020, but when he was asked whether he would now be considering his position he replied: “Yeah, obviously I think I’ve got to”.

England will not rush into any hasty decisions over the future of head coach Stuart Lancaster after making their Rugby World Cup exit at the pool stage, Rugby Football Union Chief Executive Ian Ritchie said on Sunday.

Bernard Foley’s two tries and 18 points with the boot shattered errant England’s hopes, with Owen Farrell’s late sin-binning confirming head coach Lancaster’s nightmare scenario.

World Cup oblivion awaits if England lose for a second time in a fiercely competitive Pool A to become the first host nation to exit the tournament at the group stage, a fate made possible by the 28-25 loss to Wales.

The breakdown threat will originate from a different source on Saturday, however, with fetchers supreme David Pocock and Michael Hooper present in the Wallabies back row.

When asked if his entire time with England hangs on this week, Lancaster said: “I think that’s fair to say”.

I reckon needing a specialist openside at a World Cup should count as an exceptional circumstance, to allow Lancaster to pick him. At times, when the flak was flying at its hardest after his ill-fated decision to go for a lineout rather than kick at goal, Robshaw must have...

The Welsh squad received a visit from former world boxing champion Joe Calzaghe at their training base on Tuesday evening.

Australia pinned Fiji back in their half for the opening 10 minutes, but a few forced final passes saw the Wallabies only bag a Foley penalty for their dominance after the islanders strayed offside.

Then you go to the next one. “It’s the World Cup and it will be tough every game and we will have to earn everything we get”. “I’m just really looking forward to it, they’re going to be up for it now”, Cheika said, the Sydney Morning...