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The 2003 winners’ failure to advance beyond the group stage for the first time left a “sense of deep disappointment”, Ritchie said.

Despite being the wealthiest union and with the biggest playing pool to call on, Sunday’s loss to Australia saw England become the first World Cup hosts to fail to make it out of their pool.

The immediate inquest into England’s failure to survive the pool stage of their own World Cup threw up a thousand questions about Stuart Lancaster’s future as head coach that were never likely to be answered.

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.

Australia warmed up for their eagerly-anticipated crunch match against England with a 65-3 demolition of Uruguay at Villa Park.

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.

Bernard Foley put the Wallabies in front early with a penalty but mid-way through the first half, Nemani Nadolo levelled the score with one of his own.

“We see it as a great opportunity to come up against a very good and extremely stiff opposition, a team that is immeasurably passionate about playing for their country”.

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...

There was plenty of time to get a bonus point try after securing the victory.

“No one could be more deserving”.

He could well be the biggest selection gamble in the Wallabies squad, but Kane Douglas couldn’t care less and is ready to repay the enormous faith shown in him by coach Michael Cheika.

Cheika said he told Cooper when naming the flyhalf to start against the All Blacks that “there is nothing to prove here, this is not some type of test for you, this is about your doing your job for the team in the game”.