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England not heading for another World Cup group exit… and RFU has 'no regrets' over appointment of Stuart Lancaster, claims chief Ian Ritchie

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The man responsible for appointing Stuart Lancaster and Eddie Jones insists there will be no repeat of England’s catastrophic 2015 World Cup display when it kicks off in Japan.
The man responsible for appointing Stuart Lancaster and Eddie Jones insists there will be no repeat of England’s catastrophic 2015 World Cup display when the tournament kicks off in Japan two years from now.
Outgoing Rugby Football Union chief executive Ian Ritchie — who on Tuesday announced he will retire this summer five years after joining a union ‘at war with itself’ — says England’s players and coaching staff will be far better equipped to challenge for the Webb Ellis Trophy after becoming the first host nation to crash out at the pool stages two years ago.
England were last week drawn in a World Cup pool including Argentina and France and while Ritchie accepts they will face another tough task to reach the knock-out stages he has no doubt Jones will achieve better results than former coach Lancaster, who was sacked after 2015.
‘The players are hugely more experienced,’ Ritchie said. ‘You have got a big group of highly talented players who are much more experienced, more battle hardened and more prepared for it. That psychological small margin is extremely important and we have got the coaching team that matches that.
‘As for the Rugby World Cup draw, bring it on, we aspire to be the best in the world, we aspire to be World Cup winners, so you have to play the best.’
Ritchie’s departure will leave a ‘huge gap’ at the RFU according to chairman Andy Cosslett, who credits him with ‘transforming’ the Union after taking over in the wake of the scandal-hit 2011 World Cup campaign when English rugby’s reputation hit rock-bottom.
That campaign prompted the in-house appointment of RFU employee Lancaster, a move which culminated in the disastrous exit in the home World Cup after defeats by Wales and Australia.
‘As a regret, a home World Cup, not getting out of the pool stages, of course, it was huge,’ Ritchie added. ‘Because we were all tremendously excited about the prospects.
‘We thought it would be the chance of a lifetime, and it didn’ t happen. But to be clear, I have no regrets about Stuart at all.’

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