'Biggest test for years'

Cover boy: Martyn Wood arrives in Australia overnight

14 April 2012

Martin Johnson today underlined the enormity of the challenge England face in their World Cup pool clash with South Africa in Perth on Saturday, stating: "It will be pretty difficult for the losers to win the World Cup."

Johnson insists that whoever is defeated in Perth could be going home after the last eight stage. The captain said: "This is bigger and more intense than anything we have played since 1999 because you will have a tougher quarter-final draw. That's the whole point of this game."

Johnson is not interested in past deeds and recognises that defeat would set England on a much tougher course in their search for World Cup glory.

The pool winners are likely to face Wales in the quarter-finals, with the losers heading for a daunting battle with New Zealand.

Johnson said: "This is a huge, huge game with a lot at stake. We are going to have to raise our performance level by 20 per cent to get it done."

England were dumped out of the 1999 World Cup by South Africa at the quarter-final stage and the memory of that is driving Johnson on. He does not believe England's 53-3 thrashing of South Africa at Twickenham last November gives his team a major psychological advantage, as there have been numerous changes in the opposition lineup-"Twickenham has no relevance and South Africa remain the most physical side you can play against," said Johnson.

"Their defence is fantastic and they pride themselves in putting in big hits in the tackle. It's a big part of their rugby.

"I don't expect any repeat of the problems at Twickenham. They had lost the previous week to Scotland, were under a lot of pressure from their media and had been backed into a corner.

"We also pride ourselves in our physical side and we know that in this match there will be bodies coming together and you have to win those collisions.

"We've been training a long time for this match and victory is important because you have to win your pool. Of course you're more nervous and anxious because of that.

"I don't anticipate any repeat of Twickenham because you don't intimidate teams by foul play, you do that by good hard physical rugby."

Clive Woodward today admitted England had played a part in the mayhem in the November clash.

There are concerns that another outbreak of foul play in Perth on Saturday will damage the image of the Cup.

In a bid to allay those fears, both camps have been playing down the significance of that last match and head coach Woodward said: "It was a one off and that is the way we have to look at it. We need to put it behind us and we weren't totally innocent out there either. There were niggles on both sides.

"However, there hasn't been a single game in the nine I have been in charge for against South Africa that I haven't gone into their dressing room and shaken hands afterwards.

"You just knew that going into that Twickenham game last November there wasn't a healthy feeling.

"I have no doubt Saturday's game will be hard and tough and that will be no different from all the others with the exception of the November Twickenham game. They have a totally different team, they are not under the same pressure as they were at Twickenham. They believe they can beat England by playing outstanding rugby, which I know they are capable of. We expect a fantastic game on Saturday night and that is how it should be."

Meanwhile, Martyn Wood, the Bath scrum-half, has arrived in Australia as cover in case Kyran Bracken has to be sent home because of a back injury.

Wood is not officially part of the 30 strong squad until someone is ruled out and is staying in another hotel from England.

Matt Dawson and Andy Gomarsall, the other scrum halves, are injured but do not have the complications caused by Bracken's back complaint.

'Biggest test for years'

Read More