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Forget the World Cup until 2015, England
Last updated at 22:37pm on 12.11.06Andy Robinson goes into crisis talks at Twickenham on Monday amid a grim prediction that England's losing rugby team can write off more World Cup success until 2015.
As the head coach ignores a growing public clamour for his resignation in the wake of the 25-18 defeat to Argentina, ex-Lions manager and England captain Fran Cotton said: 'You can kiss goodbye to this World Cup and the next one. I am sad to see how low we have sunk. It's very depressing.
'We understand the players are nowhere near the standard of the World Cup-winning team but the least you expect is a team playing to the best of their ability.
'I cannot remember an England team playing much worse than they did against Argentina. I don't think you have ever seen them play as badly as that but in terms of the bigger picture, I see no improvement whatsoever.
'The relationship between the RFU and the Premiership clubs is lower than ever. The whole structure of our game puts the Southern Hemisphere teams, Ireland, Wales and Scotland at a competitive advantage over England and France.
'You'd look at that conflict and say: 'Mission impossible.' I feel sorry for 'Robbo' in the predicament he finds himself. The clubs' agenda is about more power and more money. The RFU's is how do we get a winning England team because that is the only thing that generates the income to run the game.'
Robinson, whose seventh straight defeat in charge of England provoked a storm of booing at Twickenham followed by a demonstration outside the main entrance calling for his dismissal, has no intention of quitting his £200,000-a-year plus job.
He is to meet chief executive Francis Baron and director of rugby Rob Andrew this morning with a decision on his future likely to be deferred until after this month's remaining two Tests against South Africa.
'There is no proposal by the RFU to remove Andy from his position as a result of the Argentinian match,' RFU chairman Martyn Thomas said.
Robinson, 43, said: 'We have let the nation down and we all have to look at ourselves. This is a good England team. It will come through and I have every confidence in everyone involved in it. I am in charge currently of the England team and will be preparing the team for South Africa on Saturday.'
