STUART LANCASTER HAS stepped down as head coach of the England rugby team.
Lancaster took the decision following England’s underwhelming World Cup campaign that saw the hosts fail the progress from the group stages.
Lancaster was appointed to the role in April 2012 but failed to win a single Six Nations title in his time in charge, guiding England to second place each time.
He did, however, record a notable win over New Zealand in 2012 but it would prove to be the high point in a tenure that saw just him achieve just 28 wins in 46 Test matches.
In a statement issued by the RFU today, Lancaster said he accepted full responsibility for not delivering at last month’s tournament.
“I am obviously extremely saddened to finish the way we did in this World Cup and to step down from the role.
“As I have always said, I ultimately accept and take responsibility for the team’s performance and we have not delivered the results we all hoped for during this tournament.
“I did, however, want to take part in the review to ensure I understood the views of others before making a decision. The reality is that, while many aspects of the review were very positive, we didn’t achieve success on the field when it mattered and we all have to take responsibility for that but me especially as head coach.”
The RFU also confirmed that the search for Lancaster’s replacement will begin immediately with the new head coach continuing to report directly to the organisation’s CEO.
Bath coach Mike Ford, Conor O’Shea and Jake White are among the early front-runners for the job.
