Rugby Football Union chief executive Ian Ritchie said England will be seeking a coach of “proven international experience” yesterday, hinting that the person replacing Stuart Lancaster may not be homegrown.

Lancaster paid the price for England’s dismal World Cup campaign by stepping down as head coach, a decision the RFU board “unanimously accepted.”

Ritchie said the decision to remove Lancaster was made only after seeking the opinion of 59 different people involved in England rugby and that the decision would not be rushed.