England returned to a damp Surrey training camp yesterday in suitably sombre mood.

There were few smiles from any of the players talking to the media, and assistant coach Andy Farrell was left to sum up the downbeat mood following Sunday’s 33-13 defeat by Australia.

“We are desperately sorry for what’s happened and we know there are all sorts of ramifications and knock-on effects that come from situations like this,” he said. “We have got to live with those.”

Coach Stuart Lancaster held a meeting with the players when they returned to their Bagshot headquarters after taking an overnight break following the loss at Twickenham.

“I feel for all sorts of people,” second row Geoff Parling said. “For us, after how hard we have worked, and for the staff and the management because it hasn’t worked. But I would hope that what happened over the last few years has created a good feeling in rugby in general.

“I hope that this competition is going to be a good competition for rugby and that it still helps all those clubs to push on and recruit players and it can still do good things.”

England face Uruguay in their final Pool A game in Manchester on Sunday. Australia and Wales may have already clinched the knock-out spots from Pool A but England are determined to lift themselves out of their malaise and finish their campaign with an entertaining victory.

Farrell made an emotional plea for support for Lancaster.

“There is devastation in the camp. We feel we have let everybody down,” Farrell said.