Lewsey confident England future bright

Lewsey and Martin Corry bade emotional farewells to the English game by inspiring the Barbarians to a 33-26 victory as they outclassed a youthful, inexperienced England team.

"England are on the cusp of a potentially very exciting time," said Lewsey. "There are a lot of young guys playing really well in the Premiership. All the foundations are there. The challenge is to do it in a white shirt and I for one hope they do."

England's defensive frailties were ruthlessly exposed as the Barbarians, featuring seven former All Blacks, ran in five tries.

At one stage England trailed 33-5 and were on course for a record defeat after former red rose winger Iain Balshaw scored twice and Chris Jack, Rocky Elsom and Gordon D'Arcy all touched down.

England did hit back in the closing stages as Turner-Hall, Tom May and Banahan all added to Ben Foden's first-half try.

But that late response gives Corry heart that Johnson's men can overhaul Argentina, who are ranked one place above England in fifth.

"Johnno is developing a really good core of 30 or 40 players who can step in and it is looking very good for the future," said Corry, the former England captain.

"I think it will a cracking series. If they kick on from where they left off against us it will be very interesting. England sat off us a little bit at the start but they worked us out and by the end we were hanging on by our fingernails.

There was a reason we went down to 14 men - they put us under immense pressure and we conceded penalties. They were relentless at the breakdown. Argentina are playing well but with the players England have got I am backing them all the way. I'll go for 2-0."