Events in Dublin on Sunday served as a jolting indication that England remain a work in progress and are running out of opportunities to establish momentum going into the World Cup. The RBS 6 Nations title is now Ireland’s to lose and it is Joe Schmidt’s team — on the back of 10 successive victories — who are emerging as Europe’s primary challengers at the global showpiece on these shores later this year. On Monday, 200 days before the tournament begins at Twickenham when the hosts confront Fiji, England dropped a place to fourth in the World Rugby rankings, behind their Irish conquerors. Stuart Lancaster and his assistant coaches are running out of time to prepare for the World Cup . Stuart Lancaster and his assistant coaches have some key issues to address this week as they seek to orchestrate a prompt revival. First up, major Tests are running out . Arguably, the really momentous occasions England need to sharpen preparations for the World Cup have already passed. Facing Ireland on Sunday was the last such encounter. The national team now have home games against Scotland and France, who are in a state of near-disarray, which will not challenge them to the extent they were challenged in Cardiff and, especially, in Dublin. England's players look dejected after they conceded the opening try of the match against Ireland . Chris Robshaw couldn’t set the same authoritative tone as captain that he had in wins over Australia . There are home-and-away clashes with the French in August but by the time England take on Ireland the following month, both countries will be keeping their powder dry. There are also no short-cuts. Lancaster is attempting to fast-forward the evolution of a squad largely made up of young players. But what the defeat on Sunday proved is the importance of nous and experience, which the Irish had in abundance. England have a glaring caps deficit against most of the leading nations and it is too late to rectify that. The coaches must hope their rookies learn fast. Lancaster struggled for nous and experience in the defeat to Ireland as he fastracks a young Lions squad . Slow starts are another problem, with England falling behind in all three of their Six Nations matches this season. They were under siege early on in Dublin and Cardiff. Fundamental errors keep occurring in the opening minutes which leave them playing catch-up. Against Wales, they managed to do just that — impressively so — but Ireland never let them back into it. Lancaster and his team will review the tone of their match build-ups to see if they can find a way of ensuring the players start at the right pitch of emotional intensity. Decision-making under pressure has become a major issue. The men charged with steering the English ship struggled in Dublin. Minds were scrambled and execution levels dipped. Robshaw takes on Tommy O'Donnell during the RBS Six Nations match between Ireland and England . The England players leave the field defeated following their loss to Ireland at the Aviva Stadium on Sunday . March 14 England v Scotland (Twickenham), Six Nations . March 21 England v France (Twickenham), Six Nations . June Deadline for confirmation of World Cup training squad . July Training camp in Denver, Colorado . August 15 England v France (Twickenham), World Cup warm-up . August 22 France v England (tbc), World Cup warm-up . August 31 Deadline for confirmation of 31-man World Cup squad . September 5 England v Ireland (Twickenham), World Cup warm-up . September 18 England v Fiji (Twickenham), World Cup . Chris Robshaw couldn’t set the same authoritative tone as captain that he had in wins over Australia, Wales and Italy, while half-backs Ben Youngs and George Ford were eclipsed by Conor Murray and Jonny Sexton. England need calm heads. Lancaster is reluctant to deploy Danny Cipriani from the bench but he will be far more willing to turn to Owen Farrell when the injured Lion is available again. Ireland’s air and ground assault exposed English shortcomings, not just their aerial blitz, but also with their work at the breakdown. The visitors’ kicking often lacked accuracy and threat, and they were beaten to the ball in the air far too often for comfort. That is a concern, given the prowess of World Cup pool rivals Australia and Wales in that area. Those nations also have the personnel to cause trouble at the ruck and England cannot afford to regularly concede the initiative in the battle over the ball. They have predatory runners like Jonathan Joseph and Anthony Watson out wide, but without quick ball, they are hampered. As for selection conundrums, there were no hindsight-driven grumbles about the make-up of the team in Dublin, it’s just that the chosen men couldn’t deliver. Richard Wigglesworth of Saracens is seen as the leading scrum-half in the country in terms of his tactical kicking game, so he may come into consideration for a starting place. Dylan Hartley had a couple of costly lineout-throwing lapses but he has performed well enough to be given the benefit of the doubt at hooker. Dylan Hartley had a couple of costly lineout-throwing lapses in the disappointing defeat to Ireland . George Kruis was less prominent than in the previous two matches and Courtney Lawes will be back on the radar, as will another Northampton forward, Tom Wood. Meanwhile, Mike Brown is likely to return at full-back against Scotland if he is over his concussion. Finally, there is the question of what to do with Manu Tuilagi. There will soon come a time when Lancaster and his assistants have to confront the issue of what to do in midfield when the Leicester centre is fit again. Joseph has been a revelation in this championship but he couldn’t force his way into the game on Sunday, as the pack and inside backs were under the cosh. The coaches have suggested Tuilagi could play at inside centre, but that does not appear to be a natural, instant solution and England’s whole attacking approach will hinge on the balance of their selections at 12 and 13. Leicester’s wrecking-ball runner is a match-winner, but so is Joseph and both are better in the thick of the action, rather than out wide. Dejected England players Richard Wigglesworth, George Kruis and Robshaw react to the Ireland defeat .
Defeat to Ireland reminded many that England are a work in progress . On Monday England dropped a place to fourth in the World Rugby rankings . Sunday's loss means the RBS 6 Nations title is now Ireland’s to lose . England's young squad showed numerous signs of inexperience .