Chris Robshaw on course to lead England at World Cup after stirring Cardiff display

England head coach Stuart Lancaster has all but confirmed Chris Robshaw will be his captain at the 2015 World Cup with the intervention of injury the only threat to his position.

The ringmaster of Red Rose defiance in the tunnel before Friday’s stirring 21-16 RBS 6 Nations victory over Wales has had his growing authority endorsed by Lancaster, who insists it would take a “big change of heart” to look elsewhere.

Robshaw has been entrusted with the captaincy for the duration of Lancaster’s three-year stewardship, missing just three games at the helm due to being injured for the final Test against South Africa in 2012 and rested for the 2013 tour to Argentina.

And the 28-year-old is on course to lead England at their home World Cup in September and October after Lancaster suggested only a spell of enforced unavailability would compel him to seek an alternative.

“I sit and watch games on a weekly basis and watch players get injured. Things happen that are completely out of your control.” Lancaster said.

“But it would take a big change of heart now to move from the direction we’re going in with Chris.

“Chris has been excellent and we need to make sure we continue to back him. We certainly will in this Six Nations and, fingers crossed, he’ll be fit and available for June.”

Robshaw’s stature as captain has been growing steadily, but his refusal to submit to Welsh mind games in the minutes before kick off at the Millennium Stadium is being spoken of as a watershed moment.

Knowing Wales’ starting XV were still in their changing room, a steely-eyed Robshaw ordered his players to stand their ground when instructed by officials to make their entrance on to the pitch.

Lancaster has been reluctant to issue a public declaration of approval for the stance taken by his skipper, although there was clear appreciation for the manner in which Robshaw conducted his resistance.

“There is a fine line (between arrogance and cussedness) but I’d hate to think we come across as an arrogant team,” Lancaster said.

Having faced down Wales shortly before kick-off of a pulsating Six Nations opener, Robshaw completed a remarkable 26 tackles in a signature display of relentless work rate to illustrate why he has earned the loyalty of England’s management.

England were the most impressive performers of the opening weekend of Six Nations action, but Lancaster is eager to keep his players grounded ahead of Saturday’s game with Italy.

“We are pleased, but ultimately we are only one step towards the goal — which is not to come second in the championship again,” he said.

Meanwhile Wales wing George North has started his return-to-play protocol after suffering two blows to the head during last Friday’s RBS 6 Nations opener against England.

The juggernaut wing took an accidental boot to the head from England lock Dave Attwood in the first half, and he was temporarily replaced by Liam Williams while he underwent mandatory concussion assessment.

North subsequently returned to the field, but he then clashed heads with team-mate Richard Hibbard during the second half in what appeared to be a worse incident, and which attracted attention from the global governing body.

North did not go off a second time, playing on and World Rugby subsequently requested “a full report” from Welsh rugby chiefs.

However, WRU national medical manager Prav Mathema said last night: “George, since the incident actually on Friday, has been symptom-free the whole time.”