Stuart Lancaster sidesteps Rob Andrew ‘dictator’ claims

Stuart Lancaster refused to engage in a public spat with Rob Andrew, after his former RFU colleague heaped blame on Lancaster for England’s disastrous 2015 Rugby World Cup.

The former director of rugby hit out at the Leinster senior coach in his book, The Game of My Life: battling for England in the professional era, saying Lancaster became ‘dictatorial’ in the build up to the 2015 tournament and criticised the decision to pick rugby league convert Sam Burgess in midfield.

Andrew said Lancaster lost focus in the build up to the tournament and says he wished former All Blacks coach Wayne Smith had come on board to ‘save Lancaster from himself’.