Andrew Sheridan is looking forward to the challenge posed by the Australia pack when England take on the Wallabies on Saturday.
England prop looking to repeat 2007 heroics at Twickenham
Andrew Sheridan is looking forward to the challenge posed by the Australia pack when England take on the Wallabies on Saturday.
However, the Sale prop has warned his team-mates not to be complacent after their previous dominance of the tourists' forwards.
Sheridan marshalled the pack brilliantly in the 2007 World Cup quarter-final over the old enemy, but Australia's much-maligned tight-head Al Baxter got his own back on Sheridan at Twickenham in 2008, producing one of his best scrummaging performances as the Wallabies clinched a 28-14 victory.
The Aussies struggled against Wales last weekend but Sheridan is refusing to read too much into that.
"We've had some good Test matches against them where the scrum has gone well but the last time I played them I didn't play particularly well, if I remember correctly," said Sheridan.
Guarantee
"With scrummaging it's always very important not to get carried away with how things have gone in the past or read too much into how Wales did against Australia last week.
"Because one thing you can guarantee with Australians is that they'll be coming at us with everything on Saturday.
"When you start believing that you're going to find it comfortable and march forward, that's when you can come unstuck. So it's important that we concentrate as hard as we did last week.
"Every scrum you have to concentrate fully. I didn't do that in one scrum back in October last year and I came out with a dislocated shoulder.
"Australia are good team to play against. They're an incredibly competitive bunch and whenever you play against them you know it's going to be a hell of a challenge."
The England pack was again dominant on the summer tour but the Wallabies will have Benn Robinson and Ben Alexander back while hooker Stephen Moore is pushing for selection after missing the Wales Test.
"We're under no illusions that they're going to be fired up and ready for us this Saturday," said Sheridan.
"Stephen is a very strong scrummager and he's got an awful lot of experience that he'll bring to their scrum.
"You don't get carried away with expectation. You just worry about your own jobs and trying to do your own individual responsibilities well."
