Skipper backs Strettle's mettle

The Harlequins wing will arrive home on Wednesday, following Gloucester pair Iain Balshaw (shin injury) and Nick Wood (torn chest muscle), who both left England's training base on Sunday.

England skipper Jason Robinson said: "He will go home disappointed, but sometimes that's how it goes. Given a bit of rest, he will be there or thereabouts come the next selection."

Strettle spent several days in hospital last week for rehydration treatment after being laid low by a stomach virus that affected several England players and has still not totally relented.

Given the impact Strettle made during this season's RBS 6 Nations Championship, he had been expected to further strong World Cup claims during both Tests against South Africa in Bloemfontein and Pretoria.

But his next England opportunity is now on hold until the World Cup warm-up appointments with Wales and France in August.

Robinson though, has no doubt Strettle will soon be firing on all cylinders again.

Robinson added: "Despite his illness, he has been quite chirpy.

"It is obviously disappointing we've not had him out there playing, because he is a great young player for us and I am sure the experience would have done him a great amount of good."

On the plus side for England, fly-half Jonny Wilkinson trained on Tuesday after leaving first-Test venue Bloemfontein with a cut face and bruised lower back, while centre Andy Farrell and scrum-half Peter Richards - both virus victims - also featured.