England kit man under investigation by RFU after claims World Cup stars were urged to buy shares

Kit man Dave Tennison's position is under threat after urging England stars to buy shares which subsequently plummeted in value.

Tennison advised England World Cup stars, understood to include Sam Burgess and Danny Care, to invest in oil-drilling firm LGO Energy.

Reports suggest the England players involved have lost a combined total in excess of £100,000 after the firm's share prices dropped dramatically.

Boss Stuart Lancaster and his coaching team are understood to have had no knowledge of Tennison's shares advice.

Confirming the issue is under review, a Rugby Football Union (RFU) spokesman said: "The RFU takes the allegations extremely seriously.

"It is an internal matter and we are taking the appropriate action."

Head coach Lancaster's future remains in doubt as RFU bosses continue their post-World Cup review.

Chief executive Ian Ritchie is expected to deliver the review's findings to the RFU management board meeting on November 17.

England crashed out of the World Cup at the group stages, becoming the worst-performing host nation in tournament history.

Wasps captain and England back-row forward James Haskell downplayed any effect on Tennison's stocks tips to the ill-fated World Cup campaign.

"You add the spice by saying it detracted from our performance but from the moment we got into camp in pre-season to the moment we left, the boys were dedicated to our performance," Haskell told the Daily Mail.