England must be 'squeaky-clean'
A 42-man England squad, skippered by flank Chris Robshaw, arrived in South Africa Thursday to start a five-match, three-Test tour.
They arrived at their first base, in Durban, with a stark warning from coach Stuart Lancaster that any repeat of the off-field controversies at the World Cup will not be tolerated.
After travelling overnight from London, the 2012 Six Nations championship runners-up took a one-hour flight south from the South African financial hub to Indian Ocean city Durban.
Kings Park in Durban hosts the first Test on June 9 – followed by Johannesburg a week later and Port Elizabeth on July 23.
There will also be midweek matches against South African Barbarians sides – drawn from players in the second tier of the domestic competition – in Kimberley on June 13 and Potchefstroom six days' later.
The 42-man squad were issued with clear guidance about the standards of behaviour required.
A series of unsavoury episodes scarred the campaign in New Zealand last year and Lancaster used damning newspaper headlines to remind his players of those low points, before emphasising the progress made since.
"There have been quite a few players involved in incidents," Lancaster said.
"All of them were nodding their heads in agreement when I said we don't want to have any off-field distractions.
“We can ill-afford to lose players through injuries, suspensions, citings, sin-binnings and giving penalties away."
England visited South Africa for the first time in 1972 and won a one-off Test 18-9 at Ellis Park, but have managed just two more victories in nine other internationals in the republic.
The Red Roses also made a last-eight exit from the 2011 World Cup in New Zealand, falling 12-19 to eventual runners-up France, and have also changed coaches with Lancaster replacing Martin Johnson.
Meyer names a 32-man squad in Pretoria Saturday, after the Super Rugby clash of the Bulls and Stormers.
While Meyer will rely largely on Bulls, Stormers and Sharks, 30 of the England squad come from Premiership winners Harlequins, runners-up Leicester and semifinalists Northampton and Saracens.
