Dean Richards today urged Martin Johnson to send a powerful England side to New Zealand this summer to avoid repeating the embarrassing 'Tour of Hell'.

Ten years ago a woefully weak squad were thumped 76-0 by Australia and since winning the 2003 World Cup England have repeatedly sent under-strength tour parties south of the Equator.

Richards, director of rugby at third-placed Harlequins who face London Irish tomorrow, warned his former Leicster team-mate Johnson: "England have some outstanding young players coming through and you have to bring them on sensibly. If you are taking youngsters to New Zealand then you need to be very careful who you send them with. "You need a balance of youth and experience because we cannot go back to the Tours of Hell."

Richards's side will not have to face the injured Mike Catt tomorrow, or prop Clarke Dermody, centre Delon Armitage and lock Keiron Roche as Irish keep one eye on their Heineken Cup semi-final with Toulouse at Twickenham a week tomorrow.

In the weekend's other London derby, fourth-placed London Wasps make the short journey to Saracens on Sunday bidding to maintain a seven-game unbeaten run.

Wasps will replace injured England captain Phil Vickery with Pat Barnard, while Sarries may rest key men ahead of their own Heineken Cup semi-final against Munster next Sunday.