Ex-England wing Dan Luger has blasted the Rugby Football Union for giving England virtually no chance of defending the World Cup.

The Toulon star, part of the 2003 World Cup-winning squad, believes the RFU waited too long to replace faltering head coach Andy Robinson with Brian Ashton.

"I am staggered how far England have fallen. I really didn't think it would be this bad," Luger told Rugby News. "We go to France for the World Cup in early September. Ashton needs more time but they have given him virtually none as far as defending the trophy is concerned."

Luger, 32, quit international rugby shortly after Andy Robinson succeeded Sir Clive Woodward as England boss three years ago.

He added: "After we won the World Cup, they had to either change the squad or the coaches because we'd had five years of the same stuff. They were just doing the same things, you get stale and bored.

"That was my main reason for quitting. England left it too late changing the coaches. The damage was done."