Injury-hit England are set to field an especially raw side against Australia this weekend despite the return to Test duty of World Cup hero Jonny Wilkinson.

Manager Martin Johnson released 10 players from his squad on Tuesday, leaving him with 22. However, the 2003 World Cup-winning captain is not due to name his starting XV and seven-man replacements bench until Wednesday.

Although the experienced trio of Wilkinson, Lewis Moody and captain Steve Borthwick are among the players retained, the average number of caps per man is 18 and several possible starters for Saturday's Cook Cup clash at Twickenham have yet to get out of single figures.

"Hopefully these injuries are an exceptional period, and by the Six Nations we'll be in the 90 percent region of who we can pick from," Johnson said.

"We're not talking about excuses. Coaches are used to injury. Maybe not this many - of course not - but that's where we are. We're getting ready to play."

Injuries have left England without nearly two teams' worth of players, including a first-choice front-row, and Johnson delayed Tuesday's scheduled team announcement by 24 hours to give New Zealand-born hooker Dylan Hartley more time to recover from a hamstring problem.

But the likely look of Johnson's side for England's first November international became clearer Tuesday when utility backs Ben Foden and Mathew Tait were among those released back to their clubs ahead of this weekend's Anglo-Welsh Cup ties.

Foden and Tait's exit indicated Ugo Monye, Matt Banahan and Mark Cueto will form the back three against the Wallabies, with Dan Hipkiss in a midfield set to be without Mike Tindall because of a hamstring injury.

A desire to avoid having unfamiliar combinations may well lead Johnson to field an all-Tigers back-row and the same tight five that played against Argentina in June.

As for the locks, Louis Deacon appears likely to partner Borthwick with Northampton's uncapped Courtney Lawes on the bench.

Now, just when all manner of England players are sidelined, Wilkinson, whose career since the 2003 final has been blighted by injury, is fit and seemingly rejuvenated after a pre-season move from Newcastle to French club Toulon.

Australia have lost six of their last seven Tests, including last weekend's Bledisloe Cup defeat by New Zealand in Tokyo.

But Johnson said: "We've got no doubt as to the severity of the test we'll face at the weekend.

"They play the top two teams in the world (South Africa and New Zealand) a lot. It's going to be harder to get wins.

"There's no way we're going to read anything into those losses."

Possible England team to play Australia in Saturday's Cook Cup international at Twickenham (1430GMT)

(15-1):

Ugo Monye; Matt Banahan, Dan Hipkiss, Shane Geraghty, Mark Cueto; Jonny Wilkinson, Danny Care; Jordan Crane, Lewis Moody, Tom Croft; Louis Deacon, Steve Borthwick (capt); David Wilson, Dylan Hartley, Tim Payne

Replacements: Steve Thompson, Duncan Bell, Courtney Lawes, James Haskell, Paul Hodgson, Andy Goode, Ayoola Erinle

AFP

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