Tuesday 18 November 2014 11:06, UK
England coach Stuart Lancaster insists his team are not in crisis despite losing a fifth straight international at the weekend.
The third QBE International against Samoa on Saturday is a match England dare not lose after New Zealand and South Africa stormed Twickenham over the last two weekends.
Only 10 games remain until next year's home World Cup and a sense of urgency has gripped the hosts as they seek to address their declining self-belief, brainless decision making and the collapse in form of half-backs Danny Care and Owen Farrell.
Having watched the game again, I didn't think South Africa outplayed us. We gifted them too many points... which is poor discipline by us.
When asked the state of his players' mindset and whether there was a lack of confidence, Lancaster, who has recalled Northampton centre Luther Burrell, said "I don't think that's true at all.
"If you say that, you're talking about a team that has no belief in what they're doing, has no sense of direction.
"You're talking about a group of players who are not aligned with what you're trying to do, not agreeing with where you're going and have poor discipline on and off the field.
"That's a team in crisis. For me at the moment, I don't see any of those traits in this England team."
Burrell is back in a 28-man England squad after missing the defeats to the All Blacks and Springboks with a hand injury.
But wing Semesa Rokoduguni is still out with a thigh injury, and his Bath team-mate Kyle Eastmond will need assessing in the run-up to the weekend after suffering a head injury in Saturday's defeat to the Springboks.
Lancaster will release unwanted players back to their clubs on Tuesday but is confident of victory over a Samoa team, who have postponed strike action to play in south-west London.
Burrell's Saints team-mate, lock Courtney Lawes, has a shoulder stinger injury, although he is expected to be fit while Gloucester centre Billy Twelvetrees has an ankle complaint but it is hoped he will train on Tuesday.
Lancaster said: "We have narrowed the group to give us more focus in training. It’s good to have Luther back in camp after recovering from his hand injury and we’ll see how he gets on in training this week.
"Roko will stay with Bath as he returns to fitness. Kyle suffered a bang to the head at the end of the game and he will be undergoing the Graduated Return To Play protocol with us."
Bath's George Ford, who is expected to replace Saracens No 10 Farrell at fly-half, declared after the South Africa defeat that the post-match review would be "nasty" and Lancaster voiced his frustration at the performance.
"The review will be reasonably constructive for the areas we did well, but also I'll be highlighting the areas of disappointment, cantering around some of the unnecessary points we gifted the opposition," Lancaster added.
"Having watched the game again, I didn't think South Africa outplayed us. We gifted them too many points and sometimes field position on the back of easy penalties, which is poor discipline by us.
"That's one of the key areas I'll be addressing. In wet conditions we need more field position to exert pressure on them.
"The over-riding emotion is frustration because there was an opportunity to beat them and it was through our own errors that gave them a foothold in the game. A 10-point buffer in an international game is a big hill to climb."
Watch England v Samoa live on Sky Sports 2 from 6.30pm on November 22 and England v Australia live on Sky Sports 2 from 1.30pm on November 29.
