Coach Andy Robinson has warned England they cannot afford to play catch-up rugby in today's second Test showdown with South Africa.

The England squad left for Bloemfontein yesterday, where South Africa will protect a proud record of just two Test match defeats from 11 starts.

But the tourists are quietly confident they can level a series which has thrown together two evenly-matched teams.

England were punished for poor discipline in Pretoria last weekend, trailing 15-3 after Springboks' outhalf Braam van Straaten kicked five penalties inside the opening 25 minutes.

"We gave South Africa a 15-point start - we gave them a chance to let them get away," said head coach Robinson.

"We did well to claw it back, but if we allow them to get away again, it will make it that much harder for us."

The return of outhalf Jonny Wilkinson from illness, meaning that Austin Healey can revert to his roving right wing role, gives the England side a stronger appearance.

The video referee system will once again be in operation, and England can only hope that it does not play such a critical part this time around.

Tim Stimpson was denied a try, England were not awarded a penalty try either following a tryline scramble between Stimpson and Springboks skipper Andre Vos.

Andre Watson, the 1999 World Cup final referee, will be the man with his finger on the button today, advising match official, Australian Stuart Dickinson, if required.

"I was fully aware that we were having the video referee on this tour, and I think it's right," Woodward said.

England's immediate priority at the Free State Stadium will be to up the tempo, not allowing South Africa into a match which most pundits find difficult to call.

The Springboks are looking for a far more effective display from their half-back combination of van Straaten and Joost van der Westhuizen, who collectively struggled in Pretoria.

Van der Westhuizen, who wins his 61st cap to equal Mark Andrews' record as the most capped Springbok of all time, knows that a big performance is required.

He was ineffective during the first Test, and England are unlikely to let him off the hook today, having spent all week analysing the key areas in which they must sharpen up.

Woodward though, is cautious about England's prospects of recording just a third Test match win on South African soil.

"South Africa will be twice as difficult to beat," he said.

"They will have been disappointed with the way they played in Pretoria, but we also need to be far more clinical."

The Springboks are sure to target Wilkinson who is playing his first competitive match since April 30, while Cohen can realistically expect to be tested in defence.

England though, are good enough to square the series, especially if their forwards can once again stand up to an inevitable battering from the South African forwards.

Then, it will be down to Wilkinson to call the shots, and with England fielding their Six Nations three-quarter unit, of Healey, Cohen, Mike Tindall and Mike Catt, there is enough flair and invention to see the tourists home.

If that happens, then England can return home next week happy with their tour's work, putting them in good heart ahead of the autumn internationals at Twickenham when Australia, Argentina and South Africa are on the agenda.

ENGLAND: M Perry (Bath); A Healey (Leicester), M Tindall (Bath), M Catt (Bath), B Cohen (Northampton); J Wilkinson (Newcastle), K Bracken (Saracens); J Leonard (Harlequins), P Greening (Wasps), J White (Saracens), M Johnson (Leicester, capt), D Grewcock (Saracens), R Hill (Saracens), N Back (Leicester), L Dallaglio (Wasps). Replacements: M Regan (Bath), D Flatman (Saracens), S Shaw (Wasps), J Worsley (Wasps), W Greenwood (Harlequins), L Lloyd (Leicester), T Stimpson (Leicester).

SOUTH AFRICA (Province); B Paulse (Western Province), R Fleck (Western Province), D Barry (Western Province), P Rossouw (Western Province); B van Straaten (Western Province), J van der Westhuizen (Blue Bulls); R Kempson (Western Province), C Marais (Western Province), C Visagie (Western Province), S Boome (Western Province), K Otto (Blue Bulls), C Krige (Western Province), A Venter (Free State), A Vos (Golden Lions, captain). Replacements: J Smit (Natal), O le Roux (Natal), A van den Berg (Natal), W Brosnihan (Natal), W Swanepoel (Golden Lions), C Williams (Golden Lions), J Mulder (Golden Lions).

Referee: Stuart Dickinson (Australia).