Stuart Lancaster: England should learn from rugby team

England's football team should follow the lead of their rugby counterparts in equipping young players with leadership skills, says former England union coach Stuart Lancaster.

England's lack of leadership in a young squad was one factor identified by critics for the humiliating last 16 exit from Euro 2016 at the hands of Iceland last week.

Lancaster, who has been invited to join an FA advisory panel made up of coaches from other sports, is familiar with humiliating exits - his England team were the first host nation to fail to progress beyond the World Cup group stages last year.

But Lancaster is credited with creating a development scheme which has seen England's junior side become world U20 champions three times in the last four years.

"A lot of the challenges in football are similar to the challenges in rugby," Lancaster told The Times.

"In rugby, England have been successful in creating a joined-up player development programme that sits between club and country."

Since the World Cup and the dismissal of Lancaster, England have been crowned Six Nations Grand Slam champions and secured a historic a 3-0 series sweep of Australia, with youngsters such as lock Maro Itoje showing real leadership ability as well as rugby prowess.

"Look at the England rugby team and how they have responded to the World Cup," Lancaster added.

"It is fantastic to see them show such great on field leadership. England rugby and the clubs have done a good job of getting the players to think more independently.

"My gut reaction from looking at football is that they have a talented group and the more ownership they can take of their own team, the more chance they have of being successful."