Dallaglio: Robbo's to blame if we fail

The world champions go into the tournament as only sixth favourites behind New Zealand, Australia, South Africa, France and Ireland.

The Wasps forward, who played in the momentous win over Australia four years ago and who is in the squad again this time, said: "The planning process for this World Cup has only just started really. It should have started the day after the last one. For two or three years after the World Cup we were still basking in the success of 2003.

"But I still believe we have a credible chance of defending the trophy. There was outstanding planning over five years to help us win the Cup in 2003, but there was nothing in place for what was to happen after the victory.

"This current coaching and management set-up has had to pick up the pieces and prepare the squad to make a creditable defence of the trophy."

Dallaglio's claims were rejected by Andy Robinson, who took over from Sir Clive Woodward in 2004 but then lost 13 of his 22 matches in charge before being replaced by Brian Ashton.

"The 2003 tournament was magnificent, but I think once it was over everyone was focusing on 2007," Robinson said.

"There has to be a review of what's happened over the last four years and I think that's happening now anyway.

"The plans are being put in place to give England the best opportunity to prepare for the next four years."

Despite his claims, Dallaglio still feels that Ashton's team can cause a surprise in the tournament despite being written off.

"We are world champions and know very definitively what we've got to do," he told tonight's BBC1's Inside Sport programme.

"I don't think it is all doom and gloom. When I turned up in the England squad for the first time in a while [after being named in Brian Ashton's 47-man training squad in June] I was pleasantly surprised by the faces that I saw in the room.

"I looked around the room and saw Jonny Wilkinson there and thought 'you've always got a chance with him in the team'.

"I also saw guys like Simon Shaw and Phil Vickery and was pleasantly optimistic. I think on paper we've got a much stronger team than perhaps people are giving us credit for." Skipper Vickery is equally optimistic that his team can put down a marker for the tournament when they take on minnows the USA on Saturday before next Friday's crunch clash with South Africa at Stade de France.

Vickery said: "I don't want to be remembered as the captain who gave the cup back. I am going to give everything to keep hold of the trophy. I am going to draw inspiration from what happened in 2003. It inspires me to go and get the trophy back.

"Looking back four years ago, I didn't really think about winning the cup and what's vital this time is playing to our potential and delivering a performance - starting with the USA.

"I hope there won't be any 'if onlys' when the tournament is over for England, because at that point it will be all too late.

"I don't see 2003 as a burden and I hope we can create a few surprises."