Martin Johnson insists England’s path through the toughest group in World Cup history is fraught with danger, but believes the rewards will be great if they progress as winners.

The enormity of the challenge facing the tournament hosts in Pool A was laid bare last week following Australia’s Rugby Championship title triumph and Fiji’s success in the Pacific Nations Cup.

On three consecutive weekends, England must dispatch Fiji, Wales and Australia if they are to be offered a route through the less arduous half of the World Cup draw, avoiding New Zealand and South Africa.

If they do advance into the knockout stages, Johnson predicts they will benefit from having been battle hardened against high-calibre opposition.

“It’s the toughest pool there has ever been in a World Cup and someone will be going home early,” Johnson said.

“Whoever loses England vs Wales, their next game becomes a must win... they’ll have to beat Australia to stay in contention.

“But in a way it won’t do England any harm at all. It’s often the teams that have to fight and battle who will be in the best position come the end of the World Cup.

“If they win the group then it doesn’t really get any harder, at least until the final.”

Australia’s visit to Twickenham on October 3 is already looming large in English minds with Red Rose forward coach Graham Rowntree revealing on Tuesday that ‘we’re watching them constantly as a group, that country are going places’.

Wallabies’ threat

Johnson, captain of the England team that won the 2003 World Cup following a 20-17 victory over the Wallabies in the Sydney final, views them as the most dangerous team on the global stage.

“Australia can be utterly lethal when it comes to scoring tries out of situations where there’s nothing on, more so any other team in the world,” Johnson said.

“They execute with their hands very well and suddenly they’re in.

“They score tries and that makes them lethal. People perceive they have weaknesses here and there, but they’re usually able to cover them up. They almost won a World Cup in 2003 when they couldn’t really scrummage.

“If England get ascendancy in the scrum and the referee penalises Australia, it makes a big difference. If he doesn’t penalise, then it nullifies the advantage at the scrum.”

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