Dan Cole: 'Beating Wales won't make up for World Cup exit'

England prop Dan Cole has insisted that beating Wales in the Six Nations next weekend would not make up for their defeat to the same opposition at last year's World Cup.

Warren Gatland's side put the first nail in England's coffin by running out 28-25 winners at Twickenham last autumn, with that defeat being following seven days later by another against Australia to confirm the host nation's early exit.

Wales are back at Twickenham on March 12 for what could effectively prove to be the Six Nations championship decider, but Cole is not looking at it as a chance for revenge.

"After what happened at the World Cup, there is no win now that could make amends for what happened then. That night against Wales wasn't a great evening or memory in the World Cup," Cole is quoted as saying by PA.

"We don't talk about what's happened before because Eddie [Jones] isn't interested in that. It's a new regime that's looking forwards not backwards. We have new coaches and for us Eddie's reign started the week before Scotland, so it doesn't really go any further back than that.

"We've got to keep improving. We've played fairly well in the tournament so far. We have to keep evolving, moving forward and keep getting better."

England would win the Six Nations title should they beat Wales and Scotland overcome France.