England player James Haskell has said that the country should be playing rugby in the summer, not the winter, if they are to succeed like New Zealand.

The Kiwis became the first team to win back-to-back Rugby World Cups while hosts England crashed out in the group stages.

"Culturally, in New Zealand they live and breathe rugby," Haskell told the Daily Mail. "First and foremost everyone wants to be a rugby player, no-one wants to be in The Only Way Is Essex or a footballer.

"The only change I can suggest if you want us to compete is to make rugby over here a summer sport. Then we can play in dry weather and play a style of rugby we want to play.

"There isn't a miracle answer, but if we encouraged more people to play touch, focus on the skills and play in the summer, things would change."

Wasps' current co-captain Haskell has previously spent time with the Ricoh Black Rams in Japan and Otago Highlanders in New Zealand.