RUGBY UNION: Lancaster sets World Cup challenge

By Paul Smith, Sportsbeat

ENGLAND head coach Stuart Lancaster has issued a challenge to the country's young stars to force their way into his squad in time for the 2015 World Cup.

Lancaster believes there is a vast talent pool underneath the senior and Saxons sides that could be in contention in three years.

With the World Cup being on home soil, Lancaster insists there is no better motivation for those bidding to catch his eye.

"I think we have got a big talent pool," said Lancaster, speaking at the launch of a new partnership between the RFU and BMW which has formed a new performance academy for English players.

"We have got a great system that works between club and country, so we have got a regional academy programme where a lot of the guys are working hard on the ground to develop players for England and for their Premiership clubs.

"Beyond that we have a whole grassroots game of mini junior rugby and schools that put a lot of time in.

"Harnessing all that talent and sharpening it into an academy system, and then through to England and Premiership rugby is what we are all striving to achieve.

"Players come through all of the time. Usually in every year two or three of last year's under-20s end up in the Saxons or the seniors and from now I don't think that will be any different.

"The reality is 2015 is three years away so for the lads who are 18 or 19 now, there is no reason why they can't push through to the senior squad.

"Beyond then we don't just finish at 2015, we want to build a team that can go and win in 2019 as well."

(c) Sportsbeat 2012