Australia captain Rocky Elsom has warned the Wallabies to underestimate the new-look England side at their peril.

England have been hit hard by injuries in the build-up to the autumn international campaign and are without 11 of their initial squad, including six Lions.

Shane Geraghty will make his first England start while Matt Banahan, Ugo Monye, Dan Hipkiss and David Wilson all boast fewer than 10 caps.

But Elsom, who spent last year with Leinster, believes the depth of talent available to England will ensure they are a dangerous animal at Twickenham.

"One thing I didn't really realise before coming to Leinster is that the Guinness Premiership has a fair bit of depth. It is a really great tournament for selecting blokes," said Elsom, who helped Leinster win the Heineken Cup before returning Down Under.

"There are a lot of guys to choose from and you see them play a lot. There are a lot of good players in that squad who probably don't have the recognition.

"You also get the effect that when guys are playing their first few games there is a lot of excitement and energy and that definitely helps them."

The Wallabies themselves are unleashing a new-look centre combination of Quade Cooper and Digby Ione after Berrick Barnes and Rob Horne were sent home injured.

But Elsom insisted the absences do not mean tomorrow's clash has been diluted in any way.

"Pretty well every team has a lot of games without players they would like to have in there," he said.

"The fact is they are representing England and we are representing Australia.

"It is not about who you could have had but who you have on the day."

Stirling Mortlock had been scheduled to bolster Australia's midfield options but he has been ruled out of the tour.

The former captain was due to link up with the Wallabies ahead of next weekend's clash with Ireland in Dublin.

But Mortlock re-tore his calf muscle in his final fitness run before leaving Australia.

Teams:

England: U Monye (Harlequins); M Cueto (Sale Sharks), D Hipkiss (Leicester), S Geraghty (Northampton), M Banahan (Bath); J Wilkinson (Toulon), D Care (Harlequins); T Payne (Wasps), S Thompson (Brive), D Wilson (Bath), L Deacon (Leicester), S Borthwick (Saracens, capt), T Croft (Leicester), L Moody (Leicester), J Crane (Leicester).

Replacements: D Hartley (Northampton), D Bell (Bath), C Lawes (Northampton), J Haskell (Stade Francais), P Hodgson (London Irish), A Goode (Brive), A Erinle (Biarritz).

Australia: A Ashley-Cooper (Brumbies); P Hynes, D Ioane, Q Cooper (all Queensland Reds), D Mitchell (New South Wales Waratahs); M Giteau (Brumbies), W Genia (Queensland Reds); B Robinson (New South Wales Waratahs), S Moore, B Alexander (both Brumbies), J Horwill (Queensland Reds), M Chisholm, R Elsom (capt), G Smith (all Brumbies), W Palu (New South Wales Waratahs).

Replacements: T Polota-Nau (New South Wales Waratahs), M Dunning (Western Force), D Mumm (New South Wales Waratahs), D Pocock (Western Force), L Burgess (New South Wales Waratahs), R Cross, J O'Connor (both Western Force).

Referee: Bryce Lawrence (New Zealand).

Assistant referees: Nigel Owens and Tim Hayes (both Wales).