Keys to the Game: England v Australia The truth is this next game is now monstrous in its importance for England. The pressure has been ratcheted up to nose-bleed level, and it's against the Aussies who would love nothing more than to heap misery on us. Let's not forget that the next time these two sides will meet is on October 3, 2015, in Pool A of the World Cup. Here's a chance - for both sides - to set the tone for that fixture. The Wallabies thrive in high-intensity rugby, and they will sniff blood. They, too, are under the cosh, having narrowly lost out to Ireland last weekend and France the Saturday before that. But when up against it they are at their most lethal. Under new coach Michael Cheika, thrust into the hot seat just before this tour, they will develop into an even more hard-nosed, flint-jawed side. Is now a good time to play them? The bookies might slightly favour England, simply because they are the home side, but for me these two are so hard to split. It's anyone's game. Lancaster's team were slow out of the blocks against Samoa, as they laboured to a 28-9 win last Saturday. They won't be able to afford a similarly sluggish opening against Australia. According to IBM TryTracker's Keys to the Game, which calculate the aspects each side should focus on for the best chance of success, England should target 16 or more turnovers, average at least 5.8 metres with every carry and win a penalty on 27 per cent of their own scrums. It is in the set-piece where Lancaster's side will hope to have most joy It's a tough ask. While captain Chris Robshaw led from the front against Samoa, and was named Sky Sports" man of the match, the flanker and his back-row mates have not been turning over enough ball for my liking. Against the Pacific Islanders last week James Haskell was brought in at No 6 but failed to make the kind of impact he would have wanted. Against the canny Wallabies - and Robshaw's opposite man Michael Hooper, who is a master at the breakdown - I worry that England will not steal much possession. With George Ford, England's TryTracker Key Influencer against Samoa, pulling the strings now at fly-half, you would like to think 5.8 metres per carry is a more attainable aim, though the Wallabies will not make life easy for the 21-year-old (with their shoulders perhaps a little lower than a couple of the Samoan hits). However, it is in the set-piece where Lancaster's side will hope to have most joy. The line-out, in particular, has been the one shining light in a gloomy sea of mediocrity this month. Conversely, the Wallabies" Keys to the Game involve aiming for a 90 per cent success rate in their notoriously brittle set-piece, beating 14 or more defenders, and having at least seven kicks at the posts. Let me put it this way: if Australia's set-piece is firing England are in big trouble. And with the talent in their ranks you would expect them to manage the requisite breaks. A year ago you might have thought that Israel Folau could beat seven defenders on his own, but he is not quite at that high-water mark this season. It would be typical if the tall, staggeringly talented full-back had a stormer of a match against England. Next week some of the trouble-free, travel-loving Aussies might don their backpacks, hop over the Channel to Toulon in the South of France and catch up - and raise a glass or two - with countrymen Drew Mitchell and Matt Giteau. They will want to go out on a high at Twickenham but hopefully it will be England doing the toasting. A win for Lancaster's boys would keep alive dreams of World Cup glory; defeat could see those aspirations washed away and replaced by rather more sobering expectations. Carry them home.