Since I started writing for Unofficial England Rugby a year and a half ago, I’ve lost track of the amount of times my match previews and reviews mentioned the words ‘must win game for England’ and ‘after last week’s loss…’. It goes without saying that England players, coaches and supporters haven’t had the easiest of rides these past couple of years. Now we come to the final round of yet another disappointing season for England, a two Test series against the Wallabies.

Andy Robinson has quite rightly resisted the temptation of playing the strongest possible team and has therefore rested most of the senior players. Thompson, Grewcock, Corry, Hodgson, Cueto, Tindall, Lewsey and Cohen are just some of the names that have been rested with the likes of Stevens, Sheridan, Dallaglio and Borthwick nursing injuries. Whether you agree with the notion that the players named above should be rested or simply dropped from the senior squad or not, this Summer Tour will give plenty of youngsters the opportunity to impress, and hopefully, put their names forward for the difficult forthcoming Autumn Tests and the World Cup next year.

England returns to the Telstra Stadium tomorrow for the first time since that fateful day in 2003. The starting line up however, couldn’t be more different. Not a single starting player this time around started against the Wallabies nearly three years ago however for all intents and purposes this is probably the best and most attack-minded team Andy Robinson has fielded (given the players available) for a very long time. Clearly the Brian Ashton influence has begun.

The relatively light back row continues to astound supporters: Robinson still refuses to play Lewis Moody anywhere except 7. Magnus Lund on the other hand the Guinness Premiership’s most effective 7, is put at 6 and captain Pat Sanderson continues to play at 8 after his good showing there against the Barbarians. The fact that three natural opensides are all starting has been seemingly ignored by the head coach. Without Martin Corry as a ball carrier, the team will have to rely on Lund or Sanderson to fill this role, however sub Worsley could come in handy if he’s brought on late for impact.

Rowntree and White have been brought in to out-scrummage the Wallabie forwards although many would have gladly seen David Barnes brought into this position. Many argue that White has been over-rated for much of his career but the tighthead prop has put in some good showings in the early part of this year’s Six Nations (albeit it coming on after 60 minutes). Lee Mears makes a welcome second start edging out George Chuter in the pecking order. Given the lack of mobility at 1 and 3, this is an area that Mears can shine in, and has done many times before for Bath and England.

Richards and Barkley form the half back combination, with Catt and Tait in the centres. Many will voice their opinions for Abbott’s inclusion at 12. Hopefully this will be remedied in the second Test.

After sure-starter James Simpson Daniel ended up injured in training, the back three has a worryingly light-weight feel about it with Tom Voyce and Tom Varndell on the wings, and Ian Balshaw at full back. No one can argue about the flashes of brilliance from any of them, however this will be a massive test for Varndell who had a mare against Sale Sharks in the GP Final. Questions marks still arise over both wingers’ defence but their attacking capability can’t be faulted. With van Gisbergen’s shocking lack of form of late, Balshaw was the only starting fullback possible.

Wallabies skipper George Gregan, about to start his record-equaling 119th Test, has five more caps than the entire England back division.

But while the tourists have a youthful backline, Australia have two new caps (Rodney Blake and Tai McIsaac) in their front row and an experimental back row featuring two players - Daniel Heenan and Rocky Elsom - playing out of position.

England have only ever won twice in Australia, in Melbourne a few months before their World Cup triumph, and that 2003 final in Sydney. As they seek to avoid a fourth straight Test defeat, Sanderson admits England "haven't really got any idea" how Australia will play.

But he is confident that under new assistant coaches Brian Ashton, John Wells and Mike Ford, they will give a good account of themselves.

"Australia are a very proud nation and extraordinarily competitive, and we expect nothing less than that from them," he added. “The attitude of our players though, has been fantastic, and it is really exciting to witness some of these guys in training. I have never seen anything as quick as Tom Varndell, and Mathew Tait has trained brilliantly. The whole back-line is coming together really well under Brian Ashton's tutelage.”



Players to watch:

For Australia:
Rodney Blake - aka Rodzilla - has become a beacon to Wallaby fans desperate for some good old-fashioned clout up front. The 23-year-old is certainly a bright prospect, he had a fine Super 14 season with the listless Reds and saw more ball in open play than the likes of Dew Mitchell and Lloyd Johansson combined. And keep an eye on the other new cap, Tai McIsaac. The Western Force hooker is a former water-polo international who turned his back on the pool after failing to make the grade for the 1996 Olympics. The 31-year-old played his first game of rugby at the ripe old age of 23. Meanwhile, we doff our caps - as usual - to Australia captain George Gregan who plays in his record-equalling 119th Test, drawing level with Jason Leonard who notched up the same number of Tests with England and the British & Irish Lions.

For England:
There's a real sense of speed and ability in England's backline. That's a sentence you don't often read, but it rings true. Tom Varndell and Mathew Tait are young but capable of greatness, and they couldn't have chosen a better tutor than wily old Mike Catt, currently enjoying what seems to be his tenth life of Test rugby. But the eye is drawn to the real new boys. Peter Richards, bon vivant turned consummate professional; Alex Brown, the towering Gloucester lock; and Magnus Lund, the son of a former Norwegian basketball international.


Match Facts:

* The countries have met on 32 occasions - Australia lead the series 18-13 with one draw.

* England's record defeat against any opponent was the 76-0 loss to Australia in Brisbane eight years ago.

* England have only beaten the Wallabies twice on Australian soil, both in 2003, when they triumphed 25-14 in Melbourne and 20-17 after a gripping Sydney World Cup final.

* England field just three survivors - wing Tom Voyce, hooker Lee Mears and flanker Lewis Moody - from their last game in March against Ireland.

* Head coach Andy Robinson has selected three new caps in the England side - scrum-half Peter Richards, lock Alex Brown and flanker Magnus Lund.

* Sunday's Test is the first together for Robinson's new coaching support staff of Brian Ashton (attack), Mike Ford (defence) and John Wells (forwards).

* Centre Mike Catt will win his 66th cap on Sunday, putting him equal ninth with Neil Back on England's all-time list.


Verdict:
If the England forwards can secure enough ball for the backs to shine and their defense holds up… England might just sneak a narrow win. Unfortunately both of those stipulations aren’t easy to ask for.

Match Facts from Sporting Life

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