We must forget past: Tindall

WORLD CUP winner Mike Tindall has insisted England must forget the past when they take on Australia at Twickenham on Saturday.

Tindall and Josh Lewsey are the only two members of the England team named yesterday by head coach Andy Robinson who began last November’s World Cup final and the 51-13 thrashing by the Wallabies last summer.

The Bath centre rates Saturday’s clash as “massively important” but said: “You can’t dwell on what happened in the summer. It was shocking but that’s in the past. We didn’t turn up, we didn’t play well and we didn’t deserve to win.”

Retirements, injuries and loss of form mean Tindall, Lewsey, skipper Jason Robinson and Steve Thompson will be the only members of the World Cup final starting team to line up for the kick-off on Saturday.

“The fact that there are only four players remaining from the World Cup shows the game is moving on. Form players are playing and it means competition for places is rife,” said Tindall.

Australia utility back Mat Rogers has been cleared to line up against England.

The former rugby league international faced an Australian Rugby Union disciplinary hearing after an incident outside an Edinburgh nightclub two weeks ago.

A Wallabies fan claimed Rogers had thrown a punch at him in the early hours of the morning but the allegations were not proved.

“I’m relieved, I’ve always denied the claims and the hearing vindicated that,” said Rogers.

South Africa coach Jake White has warned Scotland they plan to finish their tour with victory at Murrayfield after suffering back- to-back defeats.

White’s side were beaten on consecutive weekends by Ireland and England.

“We have to try to get our tour back on track, it’s been disappointing the last two weekends, but one must be realistic.

“Scotland have improved as a team, they beat us last time we were here and they did really well against Australia, because they are not an easy team to play against.”

White has made seven changes to the side which lost to England. With a Test against Argentina in Buenos Aires also awaiting the Springboks, White is eager to give his fringe players a chance to claim a regular starting berth.

“I would have liked to have played my full strength side but I can’t, my players are really sore. It gives another opportunity for the next batch. They’ve been waiting a long time to get into the mix so hopefully they’ll grasp their chance with both hands.”

Elsewhere, New Zealand coach Graham Henry has restored captain Tana Umaga to the starting line-up for this weekend’s Test against France in Paris.

Umaga is one of a number of changes Henry has made to his team following last weekend’s thrilling 26-25 defeat of Wales at Cardiff’s Millennium Stadium.

Umaga will link up with Wellington Hurricanes club-mate Conrad Smith in the backs, replacing Aaron Mauger and Casey Lualala.

Scrum-half Piru Weepu drops to the bench to be replaced by Byron Kelleher, and Anton Oliver and Carl Hayman return in the front row.

Flanker Jerry Collins is back in as a replacement for Mose Tuiali’i for the Stade de France clash.

French coach Bernard Laporte is due to announce his starting line-up today.