Rugby World Cup
No regrets over six-year Lancaster contract, says RFU chief
Tom Hamilton
October 4, 2015
England need consistency

BAGSHOT, Surrey -- RFU chief executive Ian Ritchie says he has no regrets about giving England coach Stuart Lancaster a six-year contract last year despite his team's early exit from the Rugby World Cup.

Lancaster and his three assistant coaches -- Andy Farrell, Graham Rowntree and Mike Catt -- signed new deals last October which takes them through to 2020.

Sitting alongside Lancaster as they faced the media just 12 hours after England's embarrassing 33-13 defeat to Australia at Twickenham that sealed their World Cup fate, Ritchie was asked if the length of the contracts was regrettable and if they would influence any decision on the future of the coaching staff.

"No, I don't regret it and no, it will not influence any decision," said Ritchie, who also ruled out any "hasty reaction" to England's failed campaign.

Asked whether change is now inevitable, Ritchie said: "Absolutely - you need to reflect on what you need to do. You need to look at an overall perspective, look at the objectives, what we can do better.

Where did it go wrong for England?
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"Change in the broadest sense of the word is always something we need to look at moving forward, how you do things differently and better.

"Clearly we need to look at how we need to do things better in the future. That doesn't always mean change in every way, shape and form and I think you need to look at the perspective of things as a union and an England team of what we've been doing well and consider those. When you lose the two games we've lost (to Wales and Australia), we need to consider what we're going to do next."

Lancaster fielded questions on his own future and would not be drawn on just where his thinking is at present but he did shoot down any notion there had been a division within the coaching staff over selection calls during the tournament.

England just didn't perform
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When asked whether he was under pressure to pick certain players over others, he said: "No. Let's put that one to bed to start with. The decisions we make on selection are collective and they're ultimately mine and my responsibility. There's no division in the coaching team and there's not anything that needs to be looked into in that regard. It's my decision on selection, finally."

England now have to regroup for their final match in the tournament, against Uruguay in Manchester on Saturday, and Lancaster will then weigh up whether he will seek to continue in his role as head coach after the World Cup.

"I am not going to have a personal decision in public but there are lots of factors; my responsibility as being head coach," Lancaster said. "The accountability and responsibility lies with me. That is the biggest thing for me. Family is a big thing, also what is right for the union and was is right for the team. All that will come into the final equation but 12 hours after the final whistle, it is not for now."

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