Against Canada we saw a particularly uninspired Wallaby performance, not helped by picking their weakest possible starting XV and conditions that seemed to turn the ball into a bar of soap.

Indeed, with just 17 minutes left to play the Canucks were still in this game at just 18-6 down before a late surge of scoring rather tilted the scoreline in Australia's favour.

However, there was one very impressive aspect to this display. Before this match Canada were 3rd in the stats for total possession, despite not recording a win, thanks to their rather bland 10-man game.

That style of play has produced a pack normally capable of at least holding their own against the best for at least 60 minutes. But the Wallabies dominated up front from the very start today, and only a raft of handling errors prevented them running up a much more impressive score.

That they could do this with many players being rested does not bode well for the English in Marseille next week. The defending champions have hedged everything on being able to at least achieve parity up front to allow Jonny Wilkinson the space to work his magic in the back line.

Without said parity England do not have the weapons to compete, as we saw against South Africa. Look for a similar result against the Aussies next Saturday.