Wallabies can expect revenge —Clifford

ENGLAND will look to use the pain of their World Cup defeat by Australia to give them a mental edge going into the three-test series against the Wallabies next month, according to flanker Jack Clifford.

England became the first World Cup hosts to be knocked out of the tournament at the pool stages when coach Stuart Lancaster’s side suffered a record 33-13 defeat by Australia at Twickenham last October.

Clifford, 23, was not in the World Cup squad but believes those players who are returning to face Australia for the first time since that humiliating defeat will use the prospect of revenge as an extra motivation.

“Whoever is lucky enough to get picked will think about that game,” said Clifford, who is poised to win his sixth cap for England in the Old Mutual Wealth Cup match against Wales at Twickenham today.

“I am sure a few of the lads who played in it [the defeat by Australia] will be out there and will use it as a driving force to give you an edge.”

Key to England’s hopes of success will be their ability to match the ballwinning prowess and mobility of the Australian back row, who dominated the breakdown in the match at Twickenham. And it has been the impact of former Wallabies captain George Smith during his work with England since Eddie Jones replaced Lancaster as coach in December that Clifford believes has transformed the potency of the tourists’s back row.

“Every back-row player in the England squad will say that the work they did with him has helped massively,” Clifford added. “I hope he will be involved [in preparations for the tour] because he was a great coach and a great person to learn off.”

England will get their first chance since their grand slam triumph to fine-tune their preparations for the tour today. Clifford said the selected players against Wales will seek to advance their claims for test places, ensuring the game will have the intensity of a Six Nations encounter.

“It will be a great game and a launch pad for the guys who are going to Australia,” added Clifford, who is likely to start at No 8.

England’s preparations have also included every player undertaking personalised training programmes on top of their club’s conditioning work following Jones’s criticism of their fitness before the Six Nations.

Clifford is relishing the opportunity to play on the firm pitches of Australia.

“Fitness is a massive thing for us. We do a lot of high-intensity training but it is all timed and very specific.

“As a back-row forward you have to be at the top of your level.” — © The