Australia v England (Sat)

　　

　　Martin Johnson will want an improved team display in the second Test

　　England return to the scene of their 2003 World Cup triumph for Saturday's second Test against Australia.

　　Manager Martin Johnson, who captained England when they lifted the Webb Ellis trophy in Sydney, needs a win for his side to level the two-match series.

　　However, England have not won a Test in one of the three Tri-Nations countries since then and have not beaten any of those teams since 2007.

　　Lock Courtney Lawes and scrum-half Ben Youngs make their first England starts.

　　England destroyed the Wallabies in the scrum in the first Test but struggled in other parts of the game as they ended up losing 27-17.

　　Johnson was fuming after the match, saying "that's as harsh as I've been with them" and he will looking for a positive response on Saturday.

　　He has made two changes to the side, bringing in Lawes for Wasps veteran Simon Shaw while Youngs replaces Danny Care.

　　England have won only eight games in 22 Tests under Johnson but the two-time British and Irish Lions skipper says he is not concerned about scrutiny of his results.

　　"Do I ever worry about my personal record? Not in that regard," he said.

　　"I just want to get better. I don't like losing matches. When you're involved with England being under pressure is what it's about.

　　"Look at the football World Cup. When you play in those tournaments pressure is what it's all about. Being able to handle it off the field and being able to apply it on the field.

　　"That's the whole game. That's what we're here for. If you don't want pressure this isn't the place for you."

　　

　　England skipper Lewis Moody says he hopes that the nerves he sensed before the first game will have disappeared by Saturday.

　　"The boys are keen to go out there," said the 32-year-old, who is joining Bath from Leicester this summer.

　　"Thankfully last week was the first Test and we have an opportunity to go back and play again.

　　"After the warm-up on Saturday I will sit down with the lads and make sure everyone is in the right place prior to the game.

　　"We have been through the situation now when we did have that angst and nervousness which made the first 40 minutes tough.

　　"Ben Youngs and Courtney have come in. They are very talented and excitable young guys and that enthusiasm can spread, which is great.

　　

　　Johnson (left) has left Wilkinson on the bench for both Australia Tests

　　"I am excitable at the best of times so when they are excited it is even better."

　　Fly-half Jonny Wilkinson, whose last-gasp drop-goal sealed victory over Australia in that World Cup final seven years ago, has been left on the bench for the second week running.

　　The move has been greeted with surprise in Australia with former Wallaby Tim Horan saying that England would live to regret not naming him ahead of fly-half Toby Flood or inside centre Shontayne Hape.

　　"I don't know what Martin Johnson is trying to achieve in leaving Jonny Wilkinson on the bench again," Horan wrote in the Sydney Morning Herald.

　　"Wilkinson has the ability to ignite this England backline. He has a presence and a passing game that would lift them for sure, as well as the ability to provide field position via his boot and capitalise on those territory gains by accumulating points."

　　England's chances of victory will not be helped by the return of inspirational centre Matt Giteau and highly-rated scrum-half Will Genia to the Australian team.

　　"I think there's still areas that we can work on but it was a massive step forward for us at the weekend as a backline," said Giteau during the week.

　　"All the backs and even the reserves performed really well. We've still got steps to make and progress to make but it's moving along nicely."

　　

　　Coach Robbie Deans, who is without his first-choice front row because of injury, has decided to stick with the same tight five that were outclassed in the first Test.

　　And skipper Rocky Elsom believes referee Romain Poite's memory of Australia's scrum being demolished by England will count against the tourists in the second Test.

　　"Even if you watch a replay it is hard to see exactly what is going on in the scrum," said Elsom.

　　"It is not until you watch in super slow-mo a few times that you realise where it went wrong.

　　"There is an element of that perception that goes on and for a referee who has to make a decision on the spot, that's going to play a part in the decision.

　　"The first few engagements will be reasonably telling. Part of being a good scrum and a good front row is being able to deal with whatever the referee serves up. The guys know that.

　　"There has been a lot of pressure on the front row but they have responded really well."

 今天你菊子曰了么？