By Jo McGilchrist Ex England and Wasps WRFU 

Well that was not what the nation ordered. We put ourselves in a precarious position loosing to Wales making the Aussi match an all or nothing. Looking at the stats you could be fooled we were the better team, more meters made, fewer tackles missed and more line breaks (yes that's right?!). The stats that don't tell the story were the scums lost, only 1. I don't know about you but I definitely feel like we lost all the scrums (if you're a back just bare with us...if it makes you happy we kicked 25 from hand compared to 27 for the Aussies). The scrum has been Englands' pride and joy and is how we beat any southern hemisphere team. We have to dominate at the scrum. If you don't dominate at the scrum you won't dominate at the ruck or the maul, if you don't dominate in the forwards then what are the backs supposed to do? As for the ruck it must have been like our back row went back in time to when they were school boys and doing their first rucking practice with the 1st XV back row, you don't stand a chance and it's an education in how to be sly at stealing the ball. Rucks won by Aussies - 7, penalties conceded in an attempt to stop the Aussie back row - 9, eek!  

So we are out of the world cup. This has never happened at a pool stage to the host nation before. You can complain about being in a tough pool, but to the best in the world that does not matter, to the Aussies going forward, I wish them the best, they were brilliant on Saturday. How has the RFU with the most money in the world not delivered when it matters? Would there have been 7 lost rucks and 9 penalties if Armitage was playing? Could Cipriani have caused more problems in the backs and could Dylan Hartley have restored pride to the front row. We will not know, but maybe if we remove some red tape and pride then we will find out.

So moving forwards, it's starting to get edgy, nations are concerned where they're finishing in the pool, a top spot is considered the easier root and lays down your intentions of being unbeaten going forwards. Scotland play Samoa, Australia play Wales and Ireland play France. Scotland are good at planning, know what they are getting in to and I feel will sail past Samoa. Australia will continue to educate the northern hemisphere in how to play rugby with your forwards and as for Ireland/France this could be interesting. With the French anything goes but the two teams are playing to avoid the all blacks in the next round. Normally this would put the fear of god in to any team but for me the All Blacks are for the taking, I think the French or the Irish both have potential to beat them, time will tell...