Australia v England: Thompson ready to rough up Wallabies once more

Steve Thompson has warned the fresh-faced Australia front row to prepare for a buffeting when they face England in Perth today.

The Wallabies have been forced to name a starting unit boasting just two caps – their most inexperienced since 1983 – after injury robbed coach Robbie Deans of Benn Robinson, Ben Alexander and Stephen Moore.

Thompson, England's battle-hardened hooker who has just signed a two-year contract with Leeds Carnegie, is relishing the chance to pack down against the Australian rookies alongside destructive Leicester tighthead Dan Cole.

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The 24-year-old is the novice of England's front row with five caps – but he boasts a fearsome reputation carved out in the Guinness Premiership and Heineken Cup.

"Dan has got world class written all over him. He is an outstanding player," said Thompson.

"He showed in the Premiership final just what an impact he can have at the top level. For such a young player to do that is awesome. He has been awesome for Leicester.

"He looks a lot older than he is. He is getting bigger, stronger and better and he is one of those players you are looking forward to playing with.

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"I have been very impressed. He was one of the finds of the Six Nations and that includes all the teams.

"People were critical of him in the France match but for me he did nothing wrong in that first half, he scrummaged well and when he came back on in the second half he showed what he can do."

Cole forced his way into Martin Johnson's plans during the Six Nations on the back of some powerful performances for Leicester, not least the demolition job he did on England team-mate Tim Payne at Welford Road.

Alexander and Robinson are hailed as the identikit next-generation prop forwards, for combining set-piece excellence with mobility in the loose, and Cole fits that mould perfectly.

"What Dan has done has been fantastic," said Johnson.

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"He works hard and doesn't get too carried away with himself, which is what you want and he's a bright guy.

"It's good that he's got Thommo alongside him and he's soaking up all the knowledge he can. He can play, he's got great awareness out there.

"In the Scotland game they did us on the inside and he put in a tackle that probably saved the match for us, as well as doing all his tighthead duties.

"When you are playing in that position in a Test match you haven't got much time to have a smile on your face, but he enjoys what he does."

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England have a priceless opportunity to dominate up front and give Toby Flood a strong attacking platform to set free an exciting back three of Ben Foden, Chris Ashton and Mark Cueto.

The performance of England's pack against the Australian Barbarians in midweek has given them heart.

But for all his confidence, Thompson is acutely aware of the dangers of under-estimating the new-look Australian front row, made up of debutant loosehead prop Ben Daley, hooker Saia Faingaa and tighthead Salesi Ma'afu.

Australia's scrum stocks have improved markedly in the three years since Andrew Sheridan led England's destruction of the Wallaby pack in the 2007 World Cup quarter-final.

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Thompson said: "Caps-wise there is an imbalance but when you have inexperienced players coming in they want to make a name for themselves.

"When Australian backs are against the wall they always come out with their chests puffed up and that is exactly what I am expecting (today).

"If you look at all their Super 14 franchises they all scrummage a similar way and that happened when Michael Foley went from Bath back to Australia.

"He is a great technician and he brought that northern hemisphere forward power back to Australia.

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"We know how we think we can win that battle but we will have to see how it pans out."

The Test match marks an England debut for former New Zealand rugby league international Shontayne Hape.

The former Bradford Bulls player is joined in the centres by Otley-born Mike Tindall, the

31-year-old former World Cup winner.

Leeds-born Danny Care continues at scrum-half with his former Tykes team-mate Tom Palmer also back in the frame after his performances for Stade Francais.

Best of enemies: today's teams

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The first Test at the Subiaco Oval, Perth (kick-off 1105BST):

Australia: J O'Connor, D Ione, R Horne, B Barnes, D Mitchell, Q Cooper, L Burgess; B Daley, S Faingaa, S Ma'afu, D Mumm, N Sharpe, R Elsom (capt), D Pocock, R Brown. Replacements: H Edmonds, J Slipper, M Chisholm, M Hodgson, W Genia, P Hynes, K Beale.

England: B Foden, M Cueto, M Tindall, S Hape, C Ashton, T Flood, D Care; T Payne, S Thompson, D Cole, S Shaw, T Palmer, T Croft, L Moody (capt), N Easter. Replacements: G Chuter, D Wilson, C Lawes, J Haskell, B Youngs, J Wilkinson, M Tait.