Three more tests for England

By WYNNE GRAY

While the All Black squad for the World Cup will be revealed on Monday, tournament favourites England will unveil their anointed a fortnight later.

As John Mitchell's mob went through the Tri-Nations unbeaten and reclaimed the Bledisloe Cup, England were training in fierce temperatures at their Surrey base.

Coach Clive Woodward has been putting a 43-man squad through their paces for the last month and has three final tests to trim the group to the required 30 at the World Cup.

The All Blacks have completed their pre-tournament match-play and will be in Gisborne for the start of their second camp when Woodward makes his final squad selection.

The successful All Black group will be announced live on Holmes from the Ponsonby Rugby Club on Monday night.

There will be few surprises. Mitchell has stuck by the same players - except for the axing of Anton Oliver and some-time promotions of Ben Blair and Byron Kelleher - and there have been no serious injuries.

Unresolved issues are whether the squad includes three halfbacks and three hookers to guard against tournament replacement rules, or whether the selectors choose an extra lock and a loose-forward.

England are going through similar adjustments, although this time, Woodward has revised how he judges the candidates.

In 1999 England played the United States, Canada and an All-Stars XV, which did not replicate the pressure under which they wilted against the All Blacks and Springboks.

After England's successful trip Down Under they spent a month in conditioning work and play Wales this weekend, then France twice.

Woodward has chosen his second-stringers for the match against Steve Hansen's side, although the XV includes flankers Lewis Moody and Alex Sanderson, prop Julian White and utility Austin Healey, who have been injured, and Danny Grewcock, who is returning from suspension.

The main men will be asked to go into combat against France at Marseille, then defend a four-year unbeaten record at Twickenham on September 6.