England management and players plan to use this year's June tour to keep their dreams of playing in the Rugby World cup next year by impressing against Southern Hemisphere opposition.
England coach Martin Johnson has taken forty four players on tour but has to cut his squad down to 32 by July the 1st as the 2011 World Cup in New Zealand builds momentum.
This tour will be England's last tour before the world cup and takes in two Tests against the Wallabies, two matches against the Barbarians and one game against New Zealand Maori.
The first match on the tour starts in Perth on Tuesday against the Australian Barbarians and Johnson is looking to find the right mix for his squad.
"It's the last time we'll be on tour before the World Cup in 2011 so in terms of a build-up it probably starts now in terms of World Cup preparation," Johnson said.
"It gives some players a genuine opportunity to advance themselves.
"We've got 44 and it has to go down to 32 and there's probably four or five other guys who aren't here through injury.
"So we are looking at 50 players in competition for that 32." he told AAP.
Johnson added that this tour would give his players vital experience on how to cope with external factors away from home.
"If you go to a World Cup you are away from home for hopefully six, seven weeks if you get to the end of it," he said.
"It's a different mindset than being at home ... so it's a chance for guys to experience what it's like on the road.
"You haven't got everything controlled."
England's star player Jonny Wilkinson who kicked England to victory in the 2003 World Cup final is expected to play in Australia for the first time since 2003.
Having won the world cup in Australia and been thumped 76-0 in Brisbane in 1998 Wilkinson knows both sides of what can happen on the rugby field in Australia.
"It's a place you have to come with everything you've got in order just to get on the plane and leave in one piece mentally and physically," Wilkinson said.
"That's respect to what the guys do here and how they do it.
"In 2003 it was a better year for us but since then we've had tough years and before that we had tough years.
"So it makes you realise these experiences are enormously productive, especially if you can come away and have some good performances."
England had a patchy Six Nations campaign but captain Lewis Moody said the gutsy 12-10 away loss to France proved the team's development was on track.
"It's about continuing the momentum from that French game," Moody said.
"We didn't win that game but we took our form forward and it's important we keep doing that."
