England appear to be going nowhere fast

Australia v England: Australia 43, England 18 Mike Catt offered a brutally honest assessment of England's latest demoralising defeat Down Under, conceding: "We were hammered."

The London Irish centre's 11th appearance against Australia - an England record - ended in a predictable battering as the Wallabies followed up their 34-3 first Test victory by inflicting a six-try drubbing on Andy Robinson's hapless world champions in Melbourne.

While Australia regained the Cook Cup, England could only reflect on a fifth successive defeat which saw them create an unwanted piece of history. No previous reigning world champion has suffered such a dismal sequence of results, with England removing South Africa's four-game losing run in 1999 from the record books.

While head coach Robinson continues to make positive noises about England's prospects of mounting a meaningful World Cup defence next year, reality suggests otherwise.

Several players rested from this summer's tour - key personnel such as Charlie Hodgson, Mark Cueto, Andrew Sheridan, Steve Thompson, Danny Grewcock and Martin Corry - should return for a punishing November schedule.

And there were flickers of hope provided during the past fortnight by relative newcomers Peter Richards, George Chuter and Mathew Tait, but those rare bright spots could not detract from a glaring fear that England appear to be going nowhere fast.

"International rugby is a lot harder than people expect, and when you come up against sides like Australia who are well-drilled and get as much turnover ball as they did, they are formidable," said 34-year-old World Cup winner Catt, who could conceivably have made his last Test appearance.

England played the second half without injured props Graham Rowntree and Julian White, forcing referee Steve Walsh to rule uncontested scrums.

Australia ran in six tries through Lote Tuqiri, Mark Gerrard (two), Mark Chisholm, Stephen Larkham and George Smith. All England could manage were consolation efforts from Chuter and Varndell, with outhalf Andy Goode booting a drop-goal, penalty and conversion.

AUSTRALIA: C Latham; M Gerrard, S Mortlock, M Rogers, L Tuqiri; S Larkham, S Cordingley; G Holmes, A Freier, R Blake, N Sharpe, D Vickerman, M Chisholm, G Smith, R Elsom.

ENGLAND: I Balshaw; T Varndell, J Noon, M Catt, M Tait; A Goode, P Richards; G Rowntree, G Chuter, J White, C Jones, B Kay, J Worsley, M Lipman, P Sanderson.

Referee: S Walsh (NZ).