England set for tough tour

Five-match schedule agreed

Last updated: 18th March 2010   Subscribe to RSS Feed

England set for tough tour

Johnson: Great opportunity

The tour presents all the players and coaches with a great opportunity to test themselves against some excellent teams.

Martin Johnson
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England have agreed to a five-match tour for the first time in 10 years as Martin Johnson looks to step up preparations ahead of the 2011 World Cup.

Not since travelling to South Africa in 2000 have England taken on such schedule.

But with the RWC set to be held in New Zealand next year, the RFU have agreed to two Tests and three midweek games Down Under.

Johnson's squad, which will comprise of 44 players, will face Australia in Perth on June 12 and Sydney on June 19, with midweek games against Australian Barbarians (June 8 & 15) and New Zealand Maori (June 23).

The match against the Maori in Napier will form part of centenary celebrations of the side - with Ireland also set to face them on June 18.

Johnson said: "The tour presents all the players and coaches with a great opportunity to test themselves against some excellent teams.

"All five matches will be very tough and give us the opportunity to look at some players who may not have had the opportunity to play on this tour if it had been restricted to two test matches.

"The games will be great occasions and to play the New Zealand Maori in their centenary year is a huge honour."

RFU elite rugby director Rob Andrew believes the tour will provide the squad with the perfect platform ahead of the World Cup.

Andrew added: "I'd like to thank the Australia and New Zealand Unions for helping us to set up this tour and Premier Rugby and the RPA (Rugby Players Association) for their on-going support for the England representative teams as part of the eight-year agreement.

"It will give England squad members an excellent opportunity of experiencing a full tour before they potentially get selected for a Rugby World Cup.

"The squad will include players that would otherwise have travelled to Denver for the Churchill Cup with the England Saxons in May and June and it also gives a number of players the opportunity to step up into the Saxons squad via the Elite Player Pathway and they will benefit from the experience."