England are unlikely to peak at the upcoming Rugby World Cup due to a paucity of experience in the squad, RFU professional rugby director Rob Andrew has said.

Stuart Lancaster's men will play host to the tournament, which gets under way in a fortnight's time, with a side that remains very much in transition.

Dual-code star Sam Burgess, one-cap Henry Slade and inexperienced Jonathan Joseph are three of four centres available to Lancaster - highlighting the experimental nature of his 31-man party.

And Andrew has moved to take the pressure off Lancaster, with hopes of winning the tournament on home soil building.

"Is this team going to peak at this World Cup? I don't know. I doubt it, to be honest," Andrew told The Telegraph. 

"I suspect this team will get better over the next two or three years. I don't think there's any question of that, because the age profile and the experience profile is going to grow.

"That doesn't mean, today, it's not going to be good enough, or have the experience to win this World Cup. World Cups are about momentum and letting it grow.

"They've gained significant experience over the last three years. They've been to South Africa, they've been to New Zealand. 

"They've beaten New Zealand, they've beaten Australia, drawn with South Africa in South Africa, been to Cardiff and won, been to Cardiff and lost pretty heavily, been to Dublin and won, been to Dublin and lost. 

"They've got a fair few scars on the way through. Every team has that. It makes you as better team, not only as a group of players but as a group of coaches. 

"We all make mistakes. The key is not to repeat them."