Robshaw: A perfect role model, claims team-mate

The uncapped Harlequins lock, who will captain England in their tour match against the Southern Barbarians in Kimberley, feels he has the perfect role model in Chris Robshaw, the regular skipper for his club and country.

Robshaw and the rest of the side that started last Saturday's opening Test loss to South Africa in Durban will sit out as a changed team look to secure England's first win of the tour.

Robson, 26, said: "Chris is a great leader. He leads the side very well on the pitch and it is all about performance.

"You have got to play well if you are in that leadership role because that is the most important thing.

"Chris came to me when I first got the chance to skipper Quins and it was the same over here as well.

"He had a word with me and he said, 'Look - the reason you are captain and the reason you are in any side is because of what you have been doing and you don't want to change any of that'."

Head coach Stuart Lancaster's decision to hand the midweek captaincy to Robson represents a notable double for Harlequins, the Aviva Premiership champions, with Robshaw the tour's main leader.

Quins also had nine players in the original 42-man squad - a figure reduced by the departure of Mike Brown due to injury but which still underlines the London club's strong season.

Robson said: "It is a massive honour and something I am really proud of.

"I have had lots of messages from people back home - my family and my team-mates at Quins.

"It has been really special but I am also aware I have got some great leaders around me so I am looking forward to it.

"It is also a great reflection of what has been going on at Quins."

The trip to Kimberley to face a relatively unknown composite side drawn from the South African domestic scene could be viewed as an unnecessary distraction ahead of next weekend's second Test in Johannesburg.

But that is not how the team are viewing it after the disappointment of Durban.

Assistant coach Simon Hardy said: "We have got to gain some momentum on the tour.

"We had a disappointment on Saturday and we have got to regain that momentum and that comes from winning matches.

"It doesn't matter if they are midweek or Test matches, we have got to keep the tour moving forward so Wednesday becomes even more significant after Saturday's result.

"If we come away with a good win or come away with a win then everything moves on in a more positive light."