Eddie Jones believes England's loss to Argentina was partly down to being too focused on next year's Rugby World Cup as he accepted full responsibility for the defeat.
England were on the end of a surprise 30-29 reverse at a packed Twickenham on Sunday – only their second ever home defeat to Argentina.
The sides will meet again in their opening match of the 2023 World Cup next September, which Jones already had one eye on heading into last weekend's battle in London.
"When your team doesn't play to the potential you want, there is always something in the message that you're giving the team that's not quite clear," he said.
"We've been looking at a number of long-term strategies to get ourselves set for the World Cup. Maybe our focus wasn't tight enough on the Argentina game.
"Maybe we were over-thinking a bit, and that's entirely my fault."
England reached the final in 2019 and are among the favourites to lift the trophy next year, alongside New Zealand, Ireland, hosts France and reigning champions South Africa.
The Red Rose endured another disappointing Six Nations campaign earlier this year, but they recovered with a battling 2-1 series win in Australia prior to losing to Argentina.
With less than a year to go before the World Cup begins, Jones is hoping to further develop his squad in time for the tournament.
"There are a cluster of teams at the top of world rugby," he said. "We want to break that cluster. To do that we have to have a number of different ways to play the game.
"This next 11 months is to get enough equipment in our armoury to play any way.
"England rugby is traditionally about power rugby, winning the set-piece, smashing down the gain-line, but we have to learn from the 2019 Rugby World Cup.
"In the final, we came up against a side that had more power than us, and we were unable to beat them at that game."
England have made three changes to their 36-man squad for Saturday's showdown with Japan at Twickenham, which is followed by Tests against New Zealand and South Africa.
Broad fears for inexperienced England bowling attack after Anderson retirement
Stuart Broad fears an inexperienced England bowling attack could be exposed to problems after James Anderson announced his Test retirement decision on Saturday.
England's all-time leading wicket-taker Anderson will end his remarkable red-ball career after the first Test against West Indies on July 10.
Anderson has taken 700 wickets in 187 Tests, the most by any pace bowler in history, but the 41-year-old will play for a final time after Brendon McCullum signalled a change of plans for the future.
Matthew Potts, Brydon Carse, Josh Tongue and Gus Atkinson are all potential replacements, though Broad remains concerned for Ben Stokes' bowling options going forward.
"England could easily go into a Test match this summer with a very, very inexperienced bowling group," Broad told Sky Sports Cricket podcast.
"If you don't play a [Chris] Woakes, Mark Wood has a rest and there's no Jimmy Anderson, you could have three seamers and a spinner out there potentially with 20 caps between them.
"That's quite scary as a Test captain I would have thought. We don't know how much [Ben] Stokesy's going to bowl – we hope he does.
"But that could leave you a bit exposed. There's only one way to find out with bowlers, and that's to give them a go."
Anderson's opening-bowler partner Broad retired after last year's Ashes, having finished his illustrious career with 604 Test wickets.
Having neither of the pair available to lead the line with the red ball in future may pose problems and Broad reiterated his concern over the gaping gap Anderson's retirement will leave.
"There's going to certainly be a huge hole left by Jimmy Anderson that someone is going to have to step into," he added.
"And not just by swinging the new ball. But by communicating, by keeping calm if the boundaries are leaking, by tactically being aware of what field works at certain grounds, pitches and times of Test matches.
"Ultimately, you don't learn that unless you're thrown in."
Broad, however, remains hopeful that Stokes and McCullum will find the right combinations to take England into a new era of Test cricket.
"I think exposure for some bowlers now is really important, because there's talent out there," Broad continued.
"There's bowlers out there that need a bit of exposure to see what it's about in Test match cricket.
"They may need time to adjust their training plan and how they operate before a tour in two years' time."
Anderson open to England coaching role after Test retirement decision
James Anderson may be calling time on his Test career in July but the England great says he would be open to a coaching role in future.
England's all-time leading wicket-taker Anderson will end his storied red-ball career after the first Test against West Indies on July 10.
Anderson's 700 wickets in 187 Tests are the most by any pace bowler in history but the 41-year-old will bow out as Brendon McCullum's England look to plan for the future.
The Lancashire bowler's farewell international appearance will come at Lord's in the first of three Tests against West Indies, though Anderson suggested a move to the backroom staff could be a possibility.
"I feel excited about what the future might hold, whether that is potentially to stick around with the team this summer in a different sort of capacity, it would be nice," Anderson told the BBC's Tailenders podcast.
Reports emerged on Friday that McCullum is planning for the long term as he looks to reshape England's bowling attack, with the announcement confirmed a day later.
England will be looking to build a team capable of claiming back the Ashes in Australia across 2025-26 and Anderson acknowledged that task may have proved too great.
"It was sort of just looking ahead and could a 43-year-old me make the Ashes in 18 months' time and we sort of came to the decision that probably not," he added.
"From my point of view, it feels like a stretch at this stage of my career and from their [England's] point of view there are 15 or so Tests before the Ashes.
"It gives them time to give other guys Test matches and experiences before that. It feels like the right thing for me and the team going forward. It feels like a good time."
Anderson says he will play for Lancashire before his Test farewell at Lord's, though plans remain unclear on his commitment to the county side after that.
"I am not 100 per cent set on what I am going to do next," he continued.
"That will be a conversation down the line and see what they [Lancashire] want to do and if I have the desire and willingness as well."
As for that final time in England whites, Anderson wants to sign off in style.
Ahead of the West Indies meeting, the England bowler is third on the all-time list of Test wicket-takers behind spinners Muttiah Muralitharan of Sri Lanka and Australia's Shane Warne.
"Nearer the time and around that Test different emotions will start rearing their head," he said. "Right now I am happy with everything.
"I am glad I get to play cricket again. I am looking forward to playing for Lancashire, playing that first Test, having fun on the field and remembering why I started playing the game.
"I would like to end it as I started it, loving bowling, showing my skills and helping the team win."
West Indies to host South Africa, England and Bangladesh in busy year of cricket
Cricket West Indies (CWI) has announced an action-packed schedule for the West Indies Men, featuring three international home tours against South Africa, England and Bangladesh, from May to December 2024.
The home tours begin with a visit from South Africa, for three (3) T20 Internationals (T20Is) at Sabina Park, prior to the start of ICC Men’s T20 World Cup. The Proteas then return to the region, after the West Indies Test Tour to England in July, with a two (2) Test Match Series to be played in Trinidad and Guyana, followed by a second three (3) match T20I Series at the Brian Lara Cricket Academy in Trinidad, ahead of the Republic Bank Caribbean Premier League (CPL).
Following a white ball tour away to Sri Lanka in October, the West Indies will welcome England to the Caribbean for a white-ball tour consisting of three (3) CG United One Day Internationals (ODIs) and five (5) T20Is. The series will be played across Antigua, Barbados and Saint Lucia with travel packages on sale from today from CWI’s Official Tour Operators.
Bangladesh then completes the action-packed year with an all-format tour before Christmas with two (2) Test Matches in Antigua and Jamaica, three (3) CG United ODIs in St. Kitts and three (3) T20Is in Saint Vincent.
CWI Chief Executive, Johnny Grave urge fans to rally around the West Indies team for the upcoming ICC Men's T20 World Cup, as well as for the three home series.
“West Indies will welcome South Africa, England and Bangladesh to eight of our host countries in the West Indies, including Saint Vincent for the first time since 2012. With significant improvements being made to the National Stadium in Grenada and Windsor Park in Dominica we were unable to host International cricket there this year, but we are already looking forward to returning to both venues in 2025," Grave said
"Fans can purchase tickets online from Friday for the first Series against South Africa in Jamaica and with our official travel partners for the England Tour later this year, with all other tickets expected to go on sale in July after the ICC Men’s T20 World. We urge fans to rally behind our Men in Maroon as we strive for a historic third T20 World Cup title and seek to secure all important points in the ICC World Test Championship," he added.
Full Schedule
South Africa Tour
May 23 – 1st T20I @ Sabina Park, Jamaica – 3 pm (Eastern Caribbean time)
May 25 – 2nd T20I @ Sabina Park, Jamaica – 3 pm
May 26 – 3rd T20I @ Sabina Park, Jamaica – 3 pm
July 31-August 4 – Four-Day warm-up @ Brian Lara Stadium, Trinidad – 10 am
August 7-11 – 1st Test @ Queen’s Park Oval, Trinidad – 10 am
August 15-19 – 2nd Test Match @ Guyana National Stadium – 10 am
August 23 – 1st T20I @ Brian Lara Stadium, Trinidad – 3 pm
August 25 – 2nd T20I @ Brian Lara Stadium, Trinidad – 3 pm
August 27 – 3rd T20I @ Brian Lara Stadium, Trinidad – 3 pm
England Tour
October 31 – 1st ODI @ Vivian Richards Cricket Stadium, Antigua – 2 pm
November 2 – 2nd ODI @ Vivian Richards Cricket Stadium, Antigua – 9.30 am
November 6 – 3rd ODI @ Kensington Oval, Barbados – 2 pm
November 9 – 1st T20I @ Kensington Oval, Barbados – 4 pm
November 10 – 2nd T20I @ Kensington Oval, Barbados – 4 pm
November 14 – 3rd T20I @ Daren Sammy Cricket Ground, St Lucia – 4 pm
November 16 – 4th T20I @ Daren Sammy Cricket Ground, St Lucia – 4 pm
November 17 – 5th T20I @ Daren Sammy Cricket Ground, St Lucia – 4 pm
Bangladesh Tour
November 15-18 – Four-Day warm-up @ Coolidge Cricket Ground, Antigua – 10 am
November 22-26 – 1st Test @ Vivian Richards Cricket Stadium, Antigua – 10 am
November 30-December 4 – 2nd Test @ Sabina Park, Jamaica – 11 am (ECT)
December 8 – 1st ODI @ Warner Park, St. Kitts – 9.30 am
December 10 – 2nd ODI @ Warner Park, St. Kitts 9.30 am
December 12 – 3rd ODI @ Warner Park, St. Kitts – 9.30am
December 15 – 1st T20I @ Arnos Vale, St Vincent – 8 pm
December 17 – 2nd T20I @ Arnos Vale, St Vincent – 8 pm
December 19 – 3rd T20I @ Arnos Vale, St Vincent – 8 pm
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