Fourie: First language is Afrikaans

Lancaster, who is also England Saxons coach and a candidate for the RFU's new performance director post, this week called Saracens lock Mouritz Botha into his squad for the Churchill Cup.

Botha, 29, qualifies on residency grounds having played for Bedford Athletic and Championship club Bedford Blues before landing a move to Saracens in 2009.

Matt Stevens, born in South Africa and capped 32 times by England, has also been included in the Saxons squad as he makes his way back to international rugby following a drugs ban.

England's Six Nations-winning squad featured New Zealand-born trio Riki Flutey, Shontayne Hape and Dylan Hartley plus Hendre Fourie, whose first language is Afrikaans.

"England want to put the best side out and I don't think there are any concerns we are losing our Englishness," said Lancaster.

"I don't think it is an active recruitment policy. If the likes of Hendre Fourie and Mouritz Botha come through the development programmes in England and put their hands up then ultimately they can be considered for selection.

"Mouritz has come in on form. He played very well for Saracens.

"When you look at his track record as a player, he has gone from Bedford Athletic seven or eight years ago and come through ultimately to play for Saracens.

"He has been in this country for a long time and played an awful lot of development rugby in England, a bit like Hendre Fourie did.

"There is no problem in that from my regard."

Leicester number eight Thomas Waldrom, who hails from Lower Hutt in Wellington, and the Tigers' Samoan-born centre Manu Tuilagi are both in consideration for places in Martin Johnson's World Cup squad.

Lancaster's current role - and future role if he is appointed performance director - is to oversee the production of English talent towards the 2015 and 2019 World Cups.

The former Leeds boss does not believe the inclusion of qualified players will have a negative effect on that.

"There are a lot of English players who are getting through and getting their opportunities," said Lancaster.

"With the likes of Graham Kitchener and Dave Attwood alongside (Botha), we have three good second rows there. We have Jamie Gibson and James Gaskell in the back row as well.

"We are going to ask some young players like Rory Clegg, Billy Twelvetrees and Henry Trinder to step up into leadership roles and we believe they are ready to do that."

England Saxons open their Churchill Cup campaign against the United States at Franklin's Gardens on Saturday.

Lancaster is confident Stevens will be fit to play, despite the Saracens prop suffering a back problem in training.

"Matt has been very influential. He is a good leader. He has been enthusiastic and positive and brought a lot of experience with him," said Lancaster.