New Zealanders, not to mention the Irish, will splutter furiously into their beer, but the truth is that Twickenham this afternoon is staging a contest between the best two sides on Planet Rugby. Love them or not, England are currently the hottest ticket in Europe, and those who fail to respect the world champions' qualities must have missed the highlights of the Lions tour.

Australia have never been keener to get their hands on the Cook Cup since the trophy became attached to this fixture four years ago. Partly it is because they have won just about everything else - the Webb Ellis Cup, the Tri-Nations, the Bledisloe Cup and the Tom Richards trophy for beating the Lions - but equally there is a strong desire to avenge their gripping defeat in this fixture a year ago.

Quite apart from the 22-19 scoreline, courtesy of Dan Luger's last-gasp try, the Wallabies have not forgiven the lack of grace of one or two of the England players at the final whistle.

Their new coach Eddie Jones declared a truce on pre-match sniping yesterday, dubbing it "diplomacy day", but choice words may well be spoken in the privacy of the visitors' dressingroom.

Nothing would delight the tourists more than if today's video official Clayton Thomas were to award a contested try deep into injury-time, except maybe if Justin Harrison found himself at the bottom of a ruck next to Austin Healey.

More likely is a desperately close game won by the side that makes fewer concessions at the scrums and lineouts. Despite all the talk about England's attacking potential, it must be remembered that the Wallabies possess the game's best defence.

Even in those areas of the Australian back line where England might feel they have more skilful footballers _ inside-centre, right-wing and full back, for example _ the visitors have players who might have been specifically designed for the job in hand. Nathan Grey, Chris Latham and Matt Burke are all strong, experienced hands who make few mistakes, and in Jones the Wallabies have a shrewd coach who has studied England's method closely.

If England are to prosper, the experiment of playing Jason Robinson at full back simply has to work. His former Great Britain rugby league coach Phil Larder has few worries. "Sky did stats on him a couple of weeks ago and he was in a different league from every other full back in the country.

"Some people say he's only 5ft 8in so he's going to get tested with some bombs, but more of those are kicked to the corners for the wingers these days than they are to the full-back. Anyway, Jason's come from a game where you're tested far more in the air because of the six-tackle law. He's probably more used to dealing with bombs than any other player we've got in the squad."

The manager Clive Woodward insists England will be transformed from the side that lost the final Six Nations match to Ireland in Dublin, and not simply because they have changed half their team and installed the abrasive Leicester flanker Neil Back as captain.

"To be perfectly honest, with respect to Ireland and Wales, we prefer to play these sort of games, when you're playing the best side in the world at full strength. You'll see a totally different England. I'm confident about playing Australia home or away with my players."

The Wallabies will read that line and roll up their sleeves even further.

ENGLAND

J Robinson (Sale),

A Healey (Leicester),

W Greenwood (Harlequins),

M Catt (Bath)

D Luger (Harlequins),

J Wilkinson (Newcastle)

K Bracken (Saracens)

G Rowntree (Leicester)

D West (Leicester)

P Vickery (Gloucester)

B Kay (Leicester)

D Grewcock (Bath)

R Hill (Saracens)

N Back (Leicester, capt)

J Worsley (Wasps).

Replacements: M Regan (Bath), J Leonard (Harlequins), S Borthwick (Bath), L Moody (Leicester), C Hodgson (Sale), B Cohen (Northampton), M Perry (Bath).

AUSTRALIA

M Burke (New South Wales)

C Latham (Queensland)

D Herbert (Queensland)

N Grey (NSW)

J Roff (Biarritz)

S Larkham (ACT Brumbies)

G Gregan (ACT, capt)

N Stiles (Queensland)

M Foley (Queensland)

B Darwin (ACT)

J Harrison (ACT)

D Giffin (ACT)

O Finegan (ACT)

G Smith (ACT)

T Kefu (Queensland).

Replacements: B Cannon (NSW), R Moore (NSW), M Cockbain (Queensland), P Waugh (NSW), C Whitaker (NSW), E Flatley (Queensland), G Bond (ACT).