Kyle Sinckler takes aim at South Africa insisting revenge is not on his mind - because he can’t remember the World Cup final.
The nations meet this Saturday for the first time since England were blown away in Yokohama two years ago.
The beating by the Boks was as heavy as it was unexpected and left a scar on all involved.
But Sinckler’s was more physical than mental as he was knocked unconscious in only the second minute.
“Revenge?” the prop said quizzically, when asked what would fire him up for this weekend’s Twickenham rematch.
“I can’t remember the final to be honest. I think I lasted a minute.
“You work all your life for the moment and I don’t remember a thing. So I wouldn’t say revenge. That's done.
“This is the next game, the chance for us to keep building momentum. Even if we beat them we are not going to get the World Cup back.”
It would boost their chances of winning the next one, however, and it is that, rather than payback, which interests the Bristol star.
That is not to say World Cup disappointment did not cut him deep, even if his last memory of the tournament is actually thumping the All Blacks in a semi-final unforgettable in every sense.
“I'm not going to lie to you,” he said. “Two or three weeks after the final I just sat in my house in a dark room, obviously concussed, trying to process it all.
“It took a while to understand why it actually happened. It was probably the lead-up to the final and my preparation, losing myself a bit in that week.
“It was hard to stay grounded when everyone was telling you how great you are. It gives me extra drive now to stay hungry and keep kicking on.”
Eddie Jones will need the best of him in five days’ time as England have a front row crisis caused by Covid and injury.
Hookers Jamie George and Luke Cowan-Dickie are crocked, props Ellis Genge and Joe Marler isolating with coronavirus-1>coronavirus.
Take away Sinckler and England have just 21 caps worth of experience in Bevan Rodd, Trevor Davison, Jamie Blamire and Will Stuart. Not one of those has faced the Springboks.
They were good enough to see off a limited Australia, with super-sub Blamire making history as the first England forward to score in four successive Tests.
But South Africa is a different ball game and Sinckler provided a blunt response to what England must improve on.
“Everything,” he said. “They are the world champions for a reason. Either we bring our A game or we are going to be in trouble.”
Eddie Jones likened the clash to a heavyweight contest against George Foreman “who can whack and whack and whack”.
“We are going to have to play differently to beat them,” he said. “You have to be able to take away their scrum, take away their maul and successfully catch their high balls to not give them attacking opportunities.
“That’s the lesson we learnt from the World Cup and there will be some serious teaching on it this week.”
ENGLAND - Try: Steward, Blamire. Cons: Farrell, Smith. Pens: Farrell 5, Smith.
AUSTRALIA - Pens: O’Connor 5.
