Robshaw: 'It hurts like hell'
Rather than go for a penalty to tie the match, England opted for an attacking line-out in the hope of scoring a try that would win the game.
But the move broke down and Wales, who suffered yet more injuries during a bruising encounter after losing several key players before the tournament started, held out at a sold-out Twickenham.
"The call came down to myself, we wanted to go for a win, unfortunately it didn't come off.
"It hurts like hell at the moment and we feel we have let a lot of people down when we were in a prominent position," said Robshaw.
Robshaw's call echoed that of Japan skipper Michael Leitch last Saturday when a successful kick for goal would have forced a draw with South Africa in the final minute.
Instead he got his kicker to go for touch and eventually the Japanese went over for the try to record the greatest upset in World Cup history.
England coach Stuart Lancaster admitted it was a tough decision in a big moment in the game.
"On the field the players are making the decisions.
"It was a big call to go for a corner obviously. Its great if you score and if you don't its a big moment. Obviously it is a huge moment in the game," said Lancaster.
England next face two-time world champions Australia in a tough pool where at least one of the world's leading sides will miss out as only the two top teams go through to the last eight.
"It's a huge challenge with Australia coming to town," said Robshaw.
England coach Stuart Lancaster said he was "gutted" after the loss in front of 81,000 people at Twickenham.
England were "19-9 up and we were going well but ill-discipline from us and Dan Biggar's great goal kicking kept them in the game," Lancaster told ITV television.
Biggar's 23 points was a record for a Welshman against England.
"I am so frustrated to have allowed Wales back into the game the way that we did," said Lancaster.
"We have talked a lot about discipline and breakdown penalties and we gave some dumb ones away which allowed them to keep in the game."
AFP
