Bagshot, England - Martin Johnson believes his England side are developing the trust necessary to beat the southern hemispshere's finest even though the team is in the midst of a major injury crisis.
Johnson will be without several first-choice players for Saturday's Cook Cup clash against Australia at Twickenham, the first match of a November programme which also sees England at home to Argentina and New Zealand.
And nearly half of the starting side announced to play the Wallabies - full-back Ugo Monye, wing Matt Banahan, centres Shane Geraghty and Dan Hipkiss as well as No 8 Jordan Crane and prop David Wilson - have yet to reach double figures in terms of England caps.
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That inexperience is partly offset by the inclusion of 2003 World Cup winners Jonny Wilkinson and Steve Thompson, the fly-half and hooker playing in the same England side for the first time since Johnson captained them to victory in the final against Australia six years ago.
| 'It will be just as difficult as last year' |
Flanker Lewis Moody, who came off the bench in that final, is set to win his 54th cap this weekend while captain and lock Steve Borthwick is on course for a 51st England appearance.
Even so, it is hard to avoid the impression of a makeshift side.
And Johnson, for all his hard-worn experience as a player, is still very much in the early stages of his management career.
Last November's corresponding November fixtures represented Johnson's first games in charges of England and saw them well beaten 28-14 by Australia before losing heavily to both the world champion Springboks (42-6) and the All Blacks (32-6).
"It will be just as difficult as last year," Johnson said after unveiling his side at England's training base here on Wednesday.
| 'they've lost to the best teams in the world' |
And the former British and Irish Lions captain said Australia's run of six defeats in seven Tests had to be weighed against the fact they'd been playing South Africa and New Zealand in the Tri-Nations.
"Yes, Australia have lost a few games this year but they've lost to the best teams in the world."
But despite England's injury upheaval, Johnson was confident England's players now had a better understanding of him and of each other.
"We've had some changes forced upon us but the squad has a better feel to it in terms of spirit.
"It felt like a group of 30 players had been thrown together last year.
"The guys you play Test matches with have to have trust in each other.
"That wasn't there at the start but it developed in the Six Nations and against Argentina during the summer. We've also been building it up over the last two weeks.
"It will get tested against Australia, but if they can keep that trust between each other in the heat of a game it will win you the match."
England's bench features two uncapped players in centre Ayoola Erinle and lock Courtney Lawes.
The 20-year-old Lawes has been earning rave reviews in particular following a string of fine displays for Northampton so far this season.
"Courtney's an exceptional athlete with a huge amount of potential," said second-row great Johnson.
"To be on an international bench at 20 in that position is exceptional.
"Someone texted me saying he's a bit like I used to be, but more athletic, funnier and better looking."
This may be the first Anglo-Australian Test for several years where the build-up is not dominated by Red Rose accusations that the Wallabies pack refuse to scrum properly, thereby denying England a legitimate advantage at the set-piece.
Australia more than held their own in the scrum at Twickenham last November and Thompson said: "The Australian scrum is very technical, they have learned from New Zealand.
"If we don't concentrate on every scrum they will embarrass us on one or two and we don't want that." - Sapa-AFP
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