England crashed out of the World Cup with a 33-13 defeat by Australia on Saturday and Burgess’ contribution to the group campaign was one start and two replacement appearances.
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Gatland’s name has cropped up during radio phone-ins analysing what happens next with England, while Sir Clive Woodward revealed he would have tried to land the Kiwi had he become RFU director of rugby.
I think it’s a disgrace that we only have this one match.
Mallett is said to have told South African media that he had been called by the RFU earlier in the week, telling them he was not interested in a position for which he was interviewed in 2012 only to lose out to Lancaster.
“I absolutely feel sympathy for what’s happening to Stuart”, said the New Zealander, who phoned him this week.
“I’ve not had any conversations with him about a move to rugby league at all”, said the England coach when asked.
A win for the Wallabies, though, and Wales will find themselves facing twice world champions South Africa in the last eight next week. “The whole goal of them is to get better”.
“We were brilliant in defence, we tried to put pressure on their team, but we are really happy”.
So if the English are trying to attribute blame for their absence from the knockout stages of the World Cup, they need look no further than Beale.
Northampton coach Jim Mallinder accused Lancaster of wasting centre Luther Burrell, and Exeter’s Rob Baxter criticised the omission of his playmaker Henry Slade from the first three games.
“We have the odd bit of contact with them by text but not too much”.
“Players can get back on and play but I don’t think the pain of this will ever go away”.
A similarly huge margin of victory would count for little this time around and would not paper over the cracks of a massively disappointing World Cup for England.
“What he did with Leinster, putting structure and discipline in, and he was incredibly successful. It’s given the boys a huge lift to know the country is still behind them”.
Both the Times and Telegraph reported players felt betrayed four years ago, and that a few members of Lancaster’s squad could decline to participate. That is what he is very good at doing.
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Without question this will have been the hardest week of England’s head coach’s life, from the press inquest that took place less than 12 hours after the defeat against Australia to sitting in front of individuals that have already penned his exit later in the week. “The banter’s pretty brutal and I think that will be quite a good antidote for them”.
