Kangaroos coach Ricky Stuart has braced his players for a bruising, old fashioned-style Test against England in Sunday's World Cup clash in Melbourne as both teams seek a psychological advantage before a possible rematch in the tournament final.

With the draw structured so the top nations meet in their pool matches as well as the finals, unless Papua New Guinea cause an upset, there is the opportunity for teams to bash star opponents out of the tournament as injured players cannot be replaced. Australian halfback Johnathan Thurston, who is battling to overcome a shoulder problem, is an obvious target for the Lions' big forwards, and Stuart expects the clash with England to be far more physical than last Sunday's 30-6 thrashing of the Kiwis.

"I think it will be a different game than we played in our first game against New Zealand where I found New Zealand really wanted to just hit the ground, play the ball quickly and roll on with the game," Stuart said. "I think with the English team it will be a traditional Test match. Just some of the forwards they have and the experience they've got. Adrian Morley, for example, he's passionate towards his jumper, and his confrontational type of football will, I think, be spread right through the team.

"I think [England coach] Tony Smith will encourage a confrontational Test match, a traditional Test match, where there's a big start to the game. That's the way we will be preparing, and I think it will be a very physical game."

England's forward pack also boasts captain Jamie Peacock, Wigan hardman Gareth Hock, Wests Tigers recruit Gareth Ellis and 23-year-old St Helens front-rower James Graham - the Super League player of the year who lived up to his ranking as the best prop in the world by topping the statistics in the first week of the tournament for most runs, metres gained and offloads.

"They've been talking up a little bit about how good they're going so there's going to be some sorting each other out, for sure," Kangaroos interchange prop Josh Perry said. "They're all big and strong and they all like to mix it up a bit but we've got a pretty good forward pack ourselves so we're all looking forward to a good, hard tussle like the old days, I guess."

England's last win over Australia in the 2006 Tri-Nations tournament was a fiery encounter at the SFS in which Willie Mason and Stuart Fielden traded blows during the opening exchanges. In the 2003 Ashes series, Morley was sent off after just 12 seconds in the first Test. Kangaroos captain Darren Lockyer admitted that trying to lure the world champions into a physical battle up front was England's best chance of an upset.

"I think that's the best chance for any team. It's a Test match and you've got to come out and play physical," Lockyer said. "That's what we're expecting, and I'm sure that's what they're expecting. Every time I've played England it's been physical, and there's a few guys in their forward pack who like the confrontation so I'm sure they'll be out to lead from the front for the rest of the team."

Lockyer also acknowledged the attacking ability in the England line-up, headed by halves Rob Burrow and Leon Pryce, hooker James Roby and super-sub Danny McGuire.

"They've got some good creativity, and when McGuire comes on he offers a fair bit as well," he said. "Last week against New Zealand we had to negate their go-forward a bit so that guys like Benji Marshall weren't as effective, so I'm sure it's going to be a similar approach from us again this week."

Meanwhile, a final decision on the fitness of Thurston is likely to be made after training tomorrow but he is expected to play.

"He's trained with us OK but he hasn't done the contact work," Lockyer said. "Until he does that it's hard to make a call."

England winger Mark Calderwood, called into the team to replace the injured Lee Smith, expects to be given the tough assignment of marking Israel Folau, who has been named in the centres for Australia but spent much of last week's game against New Zealand on the wing. Calderwood - the fastest player in the Lions squad - is confident of handling Folau after successful efforts against giant three-quarters in the past, most notably former Canberra and Kiwis star Lesley Vainikolo, whose future with the England rugby union team is in jeopardy after he was charged with assault over a pub fight in London earlier this week.

"I'm not the biggest of wingers, but I work hard on stopping them playing to their strengths," Calderwood said.