IT WAS the disappointment to end all disappointments for England.

Out of their own World Cup just 15 days after it started and becoming the first hosts never to make it through to the knock-out stages.

England's so-called fans booed their team off the pitch and their head coach as he attempted to publicly apologise to them for an abject performance.

It was telling that only two players - Tom Wood and Richard Wigglesworth - were put forward to face the media after the game.

World Cup protocol indicates each team must supply 10.

Let's concentrate on the outstanding Australia performance before dissecting the deeper cavities of English rugby.

It's pretty difficult to win a game with no scrum and if you're second best at every breakdown.

Australia were inspired and looked every bit like potential world champions on that showing.

The backs were slick, their scrum was imposing, their back-row were gladiatorial and in Will Genia, Bernard Foley and Matt Giteau they arguably have the best 9, 10, 12 axis on the planet.

With a pack firing, there's no better than these three at bringing the best out of a backline and the trio aren't just distributors either seeing as Foley and Giteau both crossed for tries.

So wary are teams of the likes of Folau and Kurindrani, space opens up for these guys, and they are masters of exploiting it as England painfully found out.

Win the breakdown - win the game.

That's nine tenths of the law in this game.

And Australia will win every breakdown battle so long as Michael Hooper and David Pocock are on the field, although this is a doubt given the former's citing for his clear-out on England's Mike Brown.

Wales might try and counter it with two of their own world class opensides in Sam Warburton and Justin Tipuric on Saturday - even likelier given Dan Lydiate's injury - but England had no answer.

In Chris Robshaw and Tom Wood they have two blokes who will die on a rugby field for their country.

Their commitment is unquestionable.

Their ability to gain the upper hand in the ruck has become one of the talking points of the tournament.

Many will point the finger at Stuart Lancaster and RFU given that Stefan Armitage - an out-and-out openside - is sat watching from his sofa.

They need to adjust their pointers and head to Southern France.

These players signed contracts for French clubs knowing it would take them out of contention for England.

You can't blame them for going given the money on offer, but you can blame them for turning their backs on England.

It's an RFU policy in an attempt to strengthen the English game by keeping the best players in the country, so neither can you blame Stuart Lancaster as it's completely out of his hands.

But you can blame the head coach for a lot.

Coming into the tournament it looked as though Lancaster had galvanised the team.

Two and a half weeks later and people are calling for his head - and rightly so.

Yes, his players undoubtedly let him down, but his selections have ultimately cost England their place in the tournament.

With George Ford at 10, England were a horrible team to face.

The pack was strong and powerful and behind you had wingers who could score from nothing and a midfield that could spark a fire at the bottom of a pond.

Luther Burrell was given a shot, as was Kyle Eastmond, but both were axed for Brad Barritt, who must be one of the worst international centres in world rugby.

As brave as his defence may be, his attack is like taking a hot dog into a sword fight.

He struggles to run and pass at the same time and when you have the potency of Jonathan Joseph, Jonny May and Anthony Watson outside - it's unforgivable.

Lancaster's decision to drop Ford for Owen Farrell against Wales was the catalyst for England's downfall.

On the opening day, England managed four tries against Fiji - something neither Australia nor Wales could muster.

In the games against Wales and Australia, England crossed the whitewash twice - and only once when Farrell was at 10.

He's very good at kicking goals and can deliver off the first phase of play, but as soon as instinct takes over he looks lost.

The opposite is true of George Ford.

He's sniffs out gaps, attracts defenders but is lacking off the tee.

You can debate who is better suited until you're blue in the face, yet had Lancaster opted not for an either-or and played both, England might not be facing Uruguay in a dead-rubber.

Instead he went for Barritt.

The rest is history.

The pack's reversal is a mystery.

Personnel, minus Dylan Hartley, is largely the same as it has been for 18 months.

Maybe the game has evolved quicker than England in that time in the loose, but the tight stuff has remained a constant.

Joe Marler and Dan Cole have been found wanting and when a scrum is hurtling backwards there is very little a team can do to wrestle back the initiative.

So where now for England?

Stick with the same coaches and players or make wholesale changes?

Lancaster has already hinted it will be taken out of his hands, and of course it will given that he's contracted until the next world cup.

Nobody in their right mind would resign and wave that sort of money away.

The more likely scenario is that the RFU suits will come in and oust him after the Uruguay game.

With Lancaster gone, they might well look at Chris Robshaw's position as captain, but in truth - who is there to take over from him?

England have done a lot right over the last 18 months under Lancaster, but most of it has been undone by a disastrous tournament.

His players left him exposed, but his selections were a beacon of insecurity.

It showed a lack of faith in what he's been building so nicely with the team and it is very likely to cost him his job.

PLAYER RATINGS by Gareth Davies at Twickenham

ENGLAND

Mike Brown: Fumble from Foley's kick led to the fly-half's first try - for which he missed a tackle - in an error-strewn first half. Lacked confidence to run and kicked poorly. 4

Anthony Watson: Great finish in the corner for England's only try and was lively throughout. Sliced kick with 10 to go led to Owen Farrell sin binning. 6

Jonathan Joseph: looked dangerous first half but faded into anonymity in the second when shifted to the wing. 6

Brad Barritt: An international centre who struggles to run and pass the ball at the same time. Top tackler with 13 but stifled every England attack and might well have played his last game for his country. 3

Jonny May: Good break in the first half but was taken off injured at half time. 5

Owen Farrell: Neat offload in the first half was his only spark as he failed to get the backline moving. Yellow carded for illegal challenge on Matt Giteau to end England's hopes. 5

Ben Youngs: Kicked poorly, stuttered behind breakdown dominated by Australia and was left flat-footed for two of the three tries. 4

Joe Marler: Demolished in the scrum having spent all week under the magnifying glass and was quiet in the loose. Dragged off on 49 minutes before Poite sin binned him. 4

Tom Youngs: Lineout functioned nicely and threw his heart into everything in the loose but struggled massively in the scrum. 6

Dan Cole: Went backwards in the scrum and was anonymous in the loose. Worrying dip in form for one of the world's best tightheads 12 months ago. 4

Joe Launchbury: Was at fault for both Foley tries but was titanic in a losing cause with breaks, offloads and charge downs. Can hold head up high. 7

Geoff Parling: Nice work in tandem with old Tiger team-mate Youngs in the lineout but struggled in the loose. 5

Tom Wood: Was pummelled in the loose by Australia's back row. Plenty of dog, but international rugby requires more. 5

Chris Robshaw: Completely outshone by opposite number Hooper as he battled two opensides. Was always up against it and needed to be at his best to even draw level, and wasn't. 5

Ben Morgan: Tried his best behind a back-peddling scrum, but wasn't good enough. Put in the shade by a 7 wearing an 8 shirt. 5

AUSTRALIA

Israel Folau: Not at his sparkling best as he's failed to set the World Cup alight. But with his class it's a matter of time. 5

Rob Horne: Off early with injury and replaced by an inspired Kurtley Beale out of position. 5

Tevita Kurindrani: Went through the game quite quietly despite making nine carries. Part of a solid backs performance. 6

Matt Giteau: Repayed Michael Cheika's decision to revise policy on overseas selection with a stunning and clever performance topped with a try. Low tackles - eight of them - cut down every England attack and allowed his back row to pinch ball. 8

Adam Ashley Cooper: Australia's top carrier for 47m and was a smart presence in the wide channels. 7

Bernard Foley: Superb vision for both his tries and faultless with the boot in a record 28-point haul. The complete performance. 9 - Man of the Match

Will Genia: Given armchair ride behind dominant scrum and breakdown - and made it count. Back to his lively best. 8

Scott Sio: Pummelled Dan Cole in the scrum to give his side enormous advantage. 7

Stephen Moore: Lineout work wasn't the best by was the Wallabies' top tackler with 11 and led side admirably. 7

Sekope Kepu: Ridiculous offload in lead-up to Foley's first try and marmalised Joe Marler in the scrum. 8

Kane Douglas: Quietly carried out the grunt with his lock partner to allow those in front and behind him to shine. 6

Rob Simmons: Nine carries and eight tackles in a workmanlike performance. 7

Scott Fardy: Won't get the plaudits of his fellow back-rowers but his selfless work which included nine tackles allowed them to be at their best. 7

Michael Hooper: Lucky not to be sin binned for first half challenge in the ruck on Mike Brown but his parnership with Pocock is the world's best. Ten tackles and a turnover. 8

David Pocock: The best 7 in the world and is playing out of position. King of the breakdown with four turnovers and didn't conceded a single penalty. 9