Gregan is looking forward

Australia skipper determined to ignore the past

George Gregan is determined to take the Saturday test match between Australia and England in isolation from the last two meetings between the two countries.

Australia's most-capped scrum-half has stated that neither last year's Rugby World Cup final defeat, nor the crushing 51-15 win recorded by the Wallabies in June will have any bearing on tomorrow's game.

"They're totally different games, different circumstances. All that counts is what happens tomorrow," said the Australia captain.

After watching the video of the 32-16 victory by England against South Africa, Gregan was very impressed by the way England have started re-building under Andy Robinson, and knows the size of the task facing his team.

"It's going to take a big effort from us," he said.

"Everyone's going to have to contribute and play well for the entire match. It's not just going to take a 15-man effort, it's going to take a 22-man effort.

"Since the World Cup they have had to undergo a lot of changes, some of them forced, some of them due to injury, and they have coped really well.

"The guys who have been given the opportunity have stepped up and it was a very sound performance last week by quite a new squad."

Gregan faces Andy Gomarsall for the second time tomorrow. The first was in the June test, when Gregan had by far the upper hand, but again, he insisted that Gomarsall must not be judged in comparison with him on the basis of that test alone.

"He's starting for England and they're world champions so he must be a pretty handy player.

"Anyone who plays for their country in a very good team is a good player - it should be pretty good fun tomorrow."

Gregan refused to be drawn on whether matches against England count for something extra for his team.

"I know there's a big tradition in all sports when Australia play England and you like beating England because they're a great team, they've proved that over the past few years," he said.

"When you beat England there is a feeling of satisfaction, but that characteristic is very Australian. We always like to fight to the end.

"When you play a quality team that drives you even more so - and England are a quality team."

Some of the Australian team are yet to play at Twickenham, and they were denied the chance to have a run-out in an empty stadium yesterday in order to soak up the atmosphere. Gregan did not feel that the players had missed out.

"It would have been close to two hours travel time just there and back and we thought had would be better preparing at a location closer," he explained.

"The guys have experience of big crowds. I know Twickenham is a different oval but it's the same concept of a big theatre.

"They have played in front of 80,000 in Australia and 80,000 in Paris so the guys know what comes with that, especially playing away from home."