Nick Easter today issued a "bring it on" battle-cry as he prepared to avoid a fifth successive defeat by world champions South Africa at Twickenham on Saturday.

Easter is remarkably bullish given his previous beatings at the hands of the Springboks, plus England's 28-14 loss to Australia last Saturday.

The closest the Harlequins No8 has come to troubling the Springboks was in last year's World Cup Final, which ended in a 15-6 defeat. That Paris meeting apart, the matches have been decidedly one-sided affairs, with the South Africans handing out 36-0, 55-22 and 58-10 thrashings.

The world champions arrive at Twickenham with their coach, Peter de Villiers, claiming the demands on his players since that final has left them short of motivation.

But Easter knows better than to fall for that. He has inside knowledge of the South African mentality as his mother was born in the country and he played for the Villagers club in Cape Town early in his career.

He said: "I can count on half a finger when they haven't been ready for the match and there is a bit of kidology going on there. These guys are the world champions and have come over here to concentrate on one game. We need a bring-it-on attitude.

"I love playing the southern hemisphere nations and I suppose, being half South African, it means there is an extra edge. Having lost four out of four is also relevant. They are a high-class, big unit and always have been.

"We are facing the world champions and I have taken three hidings off them in my four games. The one match that really counted, the final, we lost."

Easter insists the England team have learned from the Australian match, which saw too many opportunities missed in attack and needless penalties handed to the opposition in defence.

The video sessions after training have highlighted the areas that need attention and, having battled to get back into the squad, the No8 knows a win is the best way to secure selection for the New Zealand game on Saturday week.

Easter, who only came into the squad for the injured Luke Narraway, said: "I thought we had Australia on the ropes but we were given a lesson in how to win. The discipline was poor and you wouldn't see some of them given away at junior rugby level. They didn't have to do much for those early points.

"It's about what you can and cannot get away with. We have to trust our defence and make hits behind the gain line and commit one guy to the break down and see what damage he can do to South African ball. We have to believe in our system.

"I was delighted to get the call-up and I believe I have a lot more to give. You are always under pressure for your place and it goes without saying that you like knocking the big guys down.

"That's what will be needed against the South Africans. My job is to liaise with the nine and 10 in attack and defence and, if I see something happen, I will put my thoughts forward. You need that small talk and understanding and there is no point keeping anything bottled up. It could be detrimental to the team and that goes for a new player or someone winning his 101st cap.

"Martin [Johnson] told me I wasn't in the initial 32-strong squad and I told him I was determined to have a good pre-season and put in the performances. I believe you are always in with a chance of getting back into the squad if you do that."