The world champions make their eagerly-awaited Test match return to Twickenham where a capacity 75,000 crowd will hail Woodwards conquering heroes.

But Ireland, fresh from easing past Wales in Dublin, are determined to gatecrash the party.

"There is a bigger edge to this game, said Woodward.

"We know that this is our biggest challenge since the World Cup final. Ireland are a very strong side, and we are playing our first competitive game at Twickenham for a long time.

"This isnt a game England expect to win by a hatful of points - this is a real game that we are going into.

"We have the utmost respect for the Irish team, who with a little more composure would have beaten the Australians in the World Cup - but that is the difference between winning and losing.

Motivation doesnt come into this game. You almost have to calm things down, keep people talking about the process, the performance and not about the occasion.

I read an interesting line from Brian ODriscoll saying England can only go one way, and I am absolutely sure that England can go two ways. I am absolutely sure that England are going to move on strongly from the World Cup.

The World Cup is over, it is a new era - a new captain, a new team - and we are very much looking forward to meeting ODriscoll and his players.

England have been hit by injuries for the 78th Test of Woodwards reign, with locks Danny Grewcock and Simon Shaw both sidelined.

It means that Bath forward Steve Borthwick makes his first Six Nations start since 2001, while form and fitness have dictated that scrum-half Matt Dawson and flanker Joe Worsley both return.

World Cup star Neil Back also features - albeit on the bench - after being overlooked in Rome and Edinburgh. But there is no place for his fellow 35-year-old Jason Leonard as England elevate highly-rated Bath prop Matt Stevens, 21, to the international arena.