Rowntree, Farrell hit with tunnel ban for England dead rubber

LONDON (Reuters) - Referee Chris Pollock can expect the full wrath of an angry crowd if he gives any contentious decisions against the Rugby World Cup hosts on Saturday, but at least he will be spared the thoughts of England's assistant coaches.

(Reuters)

Forwards coach Graham Rowntree and defence coach Andy Farrell have been banned from the dressing-room area and players' tunnel immediately before, during and after England's Pool A match against Uruguay at Manchester City's Etihad Stadium on Saturday.

The World Rugby ban came after they admitted contravening the rules by approaching referee Romain Poite at halftime of the 33-13 defeat by Australia at Twickenham last weekend that sent England out of the tournament.

As a result of that defeat, a crowd of more than 50,000 who bought tickets expecting to watch England's triumphant march into the quarter-finals will instead watch a dead rubber between the 2003 champions and the 19th-ranked South Americans.

(Editing by Ed Osmond)