I’m certain we’ll bounce back

we’ve lost, been disappointed with ourselves or decisions, but we’ve always come back and delivered and I’m 100 per cent confi dent we can do it this time.

“The feeling within the squad reminds me of the week after we lost to South Africa in 2012 and then beat New Zealand.” RFU chief executive Ian Ritchie, who awarded Lancaster a contract extension through to the 2019 World Cup last year, sat in on the team debrief on Monday but there have been no talks on the coach’s future.

“He knows that all we’ve got to do is focus on Saturday,” said Lancaster. “If the head coach starts thinking too much about what might happen in the future , then I can’t get the players in the right place and that’s the only thing that’s important.

“I’ve tried to direct everyone’s attention to delivering for each other.

“I know how much hard work they have put in. I know the character of the team, the characters in the team and I know we’ve been in this position before, come out the other side and won. The picture would be completely different on Saturday night after a win .”

England will be without Courtney Lawes because of a knee injury but Lancaster believes his stand- in, Joe Launchbury, can help expose Australia’s scrum weakness. “Joe is 125kg, Courtney is 115kg – that’s an extra 10kg behind the tighthead. I hope their loosehead is ready,” he said.