Brett Gosper claims England tweet was ‘over-interpreted’ into partisanship

World Rugby boss Brett Gosper has claimed his tweet was "over-interpreted" into partisanship when posting that hosts England failing to reach the World Cup quarter-finals would be "not the words we want to hear".

World Rugby chief executive Gosper drew quizzical responses from Wales when tweeting: “England fail to exit pool in World Cup?...Not the words we want to hear during £RWC2015”.

England must battle it out with Wales and Australia for the two quarter-final places up for grabs in World Cup Pool A, with one major nation set for an early exit this autumn.