Robinson defiant after England’s Puma pounding

ANDY ROBINSON has vowed to continue as England head coach despite the world champions’ demoralising and humiliating run of seven successive defeats.

Robinson and his fellow selectors will meet tomorrow to sift through the wreckage after an embarrassing Twickenham collapse against Argentina.

South Africa — World Cup pool opponents for England in Paris next September — now await Robinson’s ailing team on successive weekends, completing an autumn schedule that is fast assuming nightmare status.

England have never lost eight Tests on the bounce in 135 years of international rugby, but such a doomsday scenario will unfold if South Africa can emulate New Zealand and Argentina this month and emerge victorious at Twickenham.

Robinson, though, whose success rate during two years in charge of England is a miserable 40%, is defiant.

“We have to meet about selection and to debrief the (Argentina) game, and that will take place on Monday,” he said.

“I have got to accept that was a poor England performance, but it’s not me splitting. We are a team together, and we all have a part to play in this.

“I am in charge of the England team, and that remains unchanged. This is my lowest point as England coach. I will be preparing the side for the South Africa game and won’t be discussing anything until Monday.”

Robinson survived an England coaching cull following last season’s RBS 6 Nations Championship flop, when three successive defeats meant the end for his support staff Phil Larder, Joe Lydon and Dave Alred.

And while Rob Andrew, the recently-appointed Rugby Football Union elite rugby director, has backed Robinson during the autumn Test period, there must be grave doubts whether he will survive until next year’s World Cup defence.

A 74,000 Twickenham crowd voiced its displeasure at England’s latest shambolic effort by booing off the team as Argentina celebrated a famous victory.

“It is hugely disappointing,” conceded Robinson. “The crowd are obviously going to express their feelings. They came to see an England team perform, and it has not performed. I understand their frustration.”

Robinson’s anger with his team could be gauged through six second-half substitutions, which included taking off half-backs Charlie Hodgson and Shaun Perry with almost a third of the contest still remaining.

“It is disappointing for Charlie and Shaun but we felt — and we discussed it for five or six minutes — that those were the right calls to make,” he said.

Robinson awoke today to inevitable headlines questioning his future in a job he has held for two years since replacing World Cup-winning supremo Sir Clive Woodward.

Asked on Radio Five Live’s Sportsweek if he could confirm his intention to battle on, Robinson replied: “I am saying that. I am under no illusions about my position.

“I think everyone needs to have a little bit of patience. It’s a hard quality to have at the moment because people need results, but it is about getting a clear head because this is a good England team and it will come through.

“It is just about being able to show it consistently for 80 minutes and, at the moment, we are not able to do that.

“We now look at the next performance, that is all we can do.”

Robinson looks certain to make changes for the opening Springboks clash — 14 players have already started two of their three-Test autumn allocation under an agreement between England and Premier Rugby — and it would be no surprise if World Cup winners such as Josh Lewsey, Phil Vickery and Steve Thompson all feature in some capacity next weekend.

Robinson has to do something fairly drastic because current performances have left him with little choice.