Australia are bracing themselves for a renewed assault by Jonny Wilkinson, whose dropped goal denied them the World Cup in 2003 and whose four penalty goals kicked them out of the quarter-finals four years later.

Wilkinson remains at the forefront of Australia’s preparations for Saturday’s international against England at Twickenham. “The introduction of Jonny Wilkinson has brought more certainty to the England game than anything that came out of South Africa with the Lions,” Robbie Deans, the Australia coach, said yesterday as he prepared his squad for the opening fixture of its European tour, against Gloucester at Kingsholm this evening. “I don’t think the pressure will affect him — he has a lot of experience.

“There will be an expectation that he can play at the same standard he is renowned for. We believe England will be more dangerous with Jonny back. He will bring a lot of shape to their game and his influence on his peers could be valuable.”

Wilkinson will be named tomorrow at fly half for his 71st cap, against an Australia side who have lost six of their past seven internationals — against South Africa and New Zealand — and have, like England, been afflicted by injuries, among them key players such as Stirling Mortlock, Berrick Barnes and Nathan Sharpe. They are, therefore, looking no farther ahead than Saturday even though victory over the four home unions this month would emulate the achievement of their 1984 predecessors.

They were given a send-off by members of that squad before leaving for Tokyo and defeat by New Zealand on the weekend. “They weren’t gloating about their achievement,” Matt Giteau, the fly half, said. “The biggest thing they got out of it was the mateship and they’re still tight.”

Deans will leave a dozen of his first-choice players in London today, but several players could make a case for themselves at Kingsholm, albeit against a Gloucester side down on strength. Ryan Cross, the centre, who played against New Zealand, volunteered for duty, so limited has been the game time for Australia’s leading players, and the losses of Barnes, Mortlock and Rob Horne from the midfield have made that a particularly difficult area for the touring side.

Mortlock, recovering from a torn calf muscle, will catch up with the party in Dublin before the game with Ireland on November 15. “It’s great for the whole group to have [midweek] rugby,” Deans said. “It will be an education at Gloucester; we will all be better for it.

“England have picked players in form in the Guinness Premiership, we expect to meet them at their best.”

Teams for the Australians’ opening tour match, against Gloucester at Kingsholm, 7.45pm:

Gloucester: F Burns; C Sharples, H Trinder, T Molenaar, T Voyce; C Spencer, D Lewis; P Doran-Jones, D Dawiduik, P Capdevielle, W James, A Eustace, J Boer, A Qera, D Williams.

Australia XV: K Beale; L Turner, R Cross, T Smith, D Mitchell; Q Cooper, L Burgess; S Kepu, T Polota-Nau, S Ma’afu, D Dennis, D Mumm, M Chapman, M Hodgson, R Brown.