I’m not the curse: British PM

LONDON. — England’s rugby, football and cricket teams have crashed out of World Cups in the first round in the past 16 months, but Prime Minister David Cameron denied yesterday he is the “curse” behind the failures.

While the country mourned the rugby team’s humiliating exit from the tournament on home soil, the British leader sought to distance himself from the disaster.

Rugby is only the latest sporting catastrophe to hit the country however.

Wayne Rooney’s England team failed to get past the group stage at the football World Cup in Brazil last year.

The cricket team – captained by Irishman Eoin Morgan – exited in the first round in the World Cup in Australia this year.

LBC radio presenter Nick Ferrari yesterday asked the prime minister whether there is a “curse of Cameron” tainting English teams.

“That annoys me so much. That’s nonsense,” Cameron replied.

“Who was Prime Minister this summer when we won the Ashes, thank you very much? I was Prime Minister when we had the best ever haul of Olympic medals.

“I always support England and we don’t always win. Shock, horror, surprise.

“I shouldn’t let these things annoy me but I was there on the great nights when Mo Farah won gold. I’ve witnessed some great sporting triumphs.

“There is no curse. It’s probably the curse of Ferrari,” added Cameron, who when a schoolboy at Eton opted to play football instead of rugby.

Cameron is currently at the ruling Conservative Party conference in Manchester and he told delegates that since England’s defeat he had been supporting Wales, Scotland and Ireland.

“I’ve been going round this conference and I went to the Northern Irish fringe meeting, the Scottish fringe meeting and the Welsh fringe meeting and at each one I said ‘At 10 o’clock on Saturday night, I became a Welsh or an Irish or a Scottish rugby fan’,” he said.

Cameron would not comment on whether England coach Stuart Lancaster should be sacked.

“Not a matter for me. I appoint my Cabinet, somebody else appoints the head of English rugby football. I know how sad the team must be.”

Meanwhile, beleaguered England coach Lancaster yesterday dropped controversial rugby league convert Sam Burgess in a raft of changes for the side’s last World Cup game against Uruguay.

Lancaster has brought in four players for their World Cup debut at the Manchester game on Saturday after which England’s interest in the tournament ends following their humiliating defeats to Wales and Australia.

Burgess, Lancaster’s most argued over squad selection and whose inclusion reportedly alienated some players angered that regular choice Luther Burrell had been excluded, does not even make the replacements bench.

England’s coaching staff had rejected those reports and that he was brought in too quickly after less than a year in the game.

No immediate reason was given for Burgess’ absence.

Chris Robshaw remains captain despite calls for him to be dropped after the 33-13 whipping by Australia at Twickenham on Saturday.

Henry Slade, Jack Nowell, Danny Care and Alex Goode will make their first World Cup starts in Saturday’s game at Manchester.

The match could be Lancaster’s last in charge.

His bosses at the Rugby Football Union (RFU) has ordered a review into the World Cup disaster and several strong candidates are already expressing interest in the post.

Lancaster, though, said despite the game having no impact on the line-up for the quarter-finals it offered chances to those who had not played a part in the tournament so far.

“This is an opportunity for us to finish the tournament with a strong performance against Uruguay and a chance for the likes of young players such as Jack Nowell and Henry Slade to play in a World Cup,” said Lancaster.

“We owe it to ourselves and the supporters who have been brilliant throughout.”

In the pack, Mako Vunipola starts in place of Joe Marler at loosehead prop, with James Haskell and Nick Easter replacing Tom Wood and Ben Morgan in the back row.

Owen Farrell takes over from injured Saracens clubmate Brad Barritt in the number 12 jersey and George Ford — who Lancaster was castigated for dropping for the Wales game — returns at fly half.

“Brad Barritt (arm) and Courtney Lawes (knee) are not available this weekend and Ben Morgan (dead leg) and Ben Youngs (ankle) will not be able to train fully until Thursday,” said Lancaster. — AFP.