Cowboy approach helping Lewsey prepare

Josh Lewsey, whose first full season of Test rugby produced a Grand Slam and wins over Australia and New Zealand, has been warming up for England's Rugby World Cup challenge by wrestling cattle.

Lewsey has made the England No15 jersey his own this year and is a certainty to make the final World Cup party to be named on 8 September.

The tournament kicks off on 10 October, with England based in Perth - and the London Wasps full-back has ensured he'll be prepared for the hot conditions.

Lewsey, 26, opted to take a break from rugby after the short tour Down Under by trying his luck as a cowboy in Arizona. He then went white-water rafting in Colorado.

Lewsey spent two weeks with his girlfriend in the US, learning the ropes of cattle wrestling in temperatures close to 40°C.

Lewsey said: "If you have seen the movie City Slickers, my trip was exactly like that.

"I decided to get as far away as possible from rugby and so did some cattle wrestling in Arizona and white-water rafting along the Grand Canyon.