Wells backs rookie pack
John Wells insists England’s rookie pack “know what is coming” when they stand toe to toe with a juggernaut South Africa eight in Bloemfontein on Saturday.
Bristol hooker Mark Regan, recalled to the Test arena four months after his 35th birthday, is the senior England forward on view.
His colleagues – Nick Wood, Stuart Turner, Dean Schofield, Alex Brown, Chris Jones, Andy Hazell and Nick Easter – have just 20 caps between them, while the Springboks field six players in their pack from Super 14 finalists the Sharks and Bulls.
It could quickly develop into one of Test rugby’s most horrible mismatches, with most pundits believing a severely-depleted England squad is on a hiding to nothing after travelling minus a huge contingent involved in European finals for Leicester, Wasps and Bath last weekend.
But assistant coach Wells believes his pack will know what to expect come kick off.
“We all know it is going to be a tremendous challenge, and all the players know what is coming,” said Wells.
“They will give it their best shot. We need to get stuck in and go at them. That is the challenge facing us.
“Last autumn, we struggled to impose ourselves on a South African pack that was, in effect, missing five key members. They have got some superb resources in their forwards, with enormous strength in depth.
“But our guys have trained tremendously hard. I cannot ask any more of them and, if they perform to their levels, we can make life tough for South Africa.”
While there are considerable reservations about England’s pack, the tourists will be far stronger behind the scrum unless a stomach virus continues leaving its mark.
Head coach Brian Ashton lost Harlequins wing David Strettle from his plans on Thursday, and the squad flew to Bloemfontein playing a waiting game regarding centre Andy Farrell.
Strettle was hospitalised after being hit by the virus that has affected a handful of England players, including fly-half Jonny Wilkinson.
Gloucester back Iain Balshaw will replace Strettle and win his 30th cap, with the bench vacancy caused by his promotion to be filled after the squad train at Vodacom Park on Friday.
England can now only hope Farrell makes it, and assistant coach Mike Ford said: “Andy is a tough guy. I think he will be there for us on the weekend.
“David Strettle has done very well in the little time he has had with England, and it is unfortunate we have lost a free-flowing wing who is not scared of anything, but Iain Balshaw is very experienced, so I am not going to lose any sleep over that.”
Given their list of high-profile absentees, it would represent a considerable achievement by England to avoid anything less than a 30-point defeat.
They can only hope the forwards somehow gain parity, then see Wilkinson maximise whatever possession comes his way, but with South African rugby on a high after the Super 14 experience, it is a tall order.
Wilkinson, who steered England to a famous 27-22 victory over the Springboks in Bloemfontein seven years ago, said: “I don’t think I have ever gone into a game and thought about keeping the score down, to be fair.
“You go out there, you hit the first whistle and the first minute and react to whatever happens.
“I have been involved in games when we have been on the wrong end – Ireland, just recently, was one of those – but never once do you think about keeping the score down or you are going to lose before you start, because it would be pointless playing.”
