Martin Johnson finds himself in the rare position of being an England coach finalising his Test selection without having to fret over the fitness of Jonny Wilkinson.

Neither Andy Robinson nor Brian Ashton before him enjoyed that same pleasure too often as Wilkinson spent the years after his 2003 World Cup-winning heroics battling through a succession of 13 injuries.

Whenever Wilkinson was available for England it was, by his own admission, no more than a “funny little cameo” before he was sidelined by another frustrating medical mishap.

In five years, Wilkinson did not play more than six consecutive matches and he was horribly out of sorts on his last start for England, in the 9-3 defeat to Scotland in 2008.

Wilkinson, now 30, is back in prime form and rude health after a revitalising summer move to Toulon and he is certain to start against Australia this weekend.

But it is with a certain cruel irony that while Wilkinson is now fit and firing, Johnson's best-laid plans for the autumn Investec Challenge Series have been seriously ravaged by injuries elsewhere.

England have lost 11 of their initial 32-man senior elite squad, including six who toured South Africa with the British and Irish Lions in the summer plus last year's player of the year Delon Armitage.

Johnson will reveal his hand at mid-day today and he insists England have the resources to cope with the challenge from a new-look Australia side, who head to Twickenham on the back of a seventh consecutive defeat to New Zealand.

“We are confident in the group we've got. It's a good blend,” said Johnson.

“With the challenges we've got this week, we can be very competitive.”