Wales coach Warren Gatland has criticised Rugby World Cup chiefs for creating a "group of hell" in their draw nearly three years ago.
The draw based at rankings at that time put Australia, England and Wales into Pool A and has led to hosts England exiting after successive Twickenham defeats against Wales and Australia.
Gatland, whose team play Australia in next weekend's Pool A decider, did not hold back after watching England's 33-13 loss to the Wallabies.
"We knew how tough this group was going to be right from the start, and not just with England, Australia and ourselves, because Fiji are a tough proposition as well," the New Zealander said.
"I think if Fiji had been in a couple of other groups, they would have qualified for the quarter-finals as well. It has been not just the group of death, but the group of hell, basically, for all of us.
"Everyone is making a thing about the first home country to hold a World Cup to miss out on the quarter-finals, but the stupid thing, as we all know, is why was the World Cup draw done three years ago?
"That's just ridiculous as far as I am concerned. If they had followed the football model, then we wouldn't be in this position."
Gatland acknowledged that Australia had done Wales "a massive favour" against England.
"But I felt with 15-20 minutes to go, it was like sitting in the (coaches') box myself because you are going through the emotions of what the coaches are doing," he said.
"I turned around and said to my wife that what happens in the next 20 minutes changes people's lives, whether it is ours or people involved with England."
Asked if he had sympathy for under-fire England coach Stuart Lancaster, Gatland said: "Absolutely.
"For what he has done when he took over the job, in terms of the discipline he has instilled in that side and how his players conduct themselves, I have a huge amount of respect for what he has done."
AFP
