The world champions face a daunting task in the second Test against New Zealand at Eden Park on Saturday as they look to level the series following a 36-3 drubbing in Dunedin, England's third defeat in the last four Tests.

Woodward has dropped four of the players involved when he masterminded World Cup glory Down Under last autumn as Mike Catt, Matt Dawson, Steve Thompson and Danny Grewcock are axed, together with young prospects James Simpson-Daniel and Chris Jones.

Into the line-up come wing Tom Voyce, centre Stuart Abbott, scrum-half Andy Gomarsall, hooker Mark Regan, lock Steve Borthwick and flanker Joe Worsley, meaning there are just six survivors from the World Cup final starting XV - Josh Lewsey, Ben Cohen, Mike Tindall, Trevor Woodman, Richard Hill and Lawrence Dallaglio - on duty.

It will be Wasps try machine Voyce's first England start, coming three years after his solitary Test match appearance as a substitute against the USA.

A combination of injuries, form and retirements from international rugby have hit England hard since their World Cup triumph in Sydney.

But head coach Woodward believes that autumn appointments with Australia, South Africa and Canada later this year will see England firing on all cylinders once more.

"I am very proud of the fact that England arrived at the World Cup as favourites and very well prepared,'' he said.

"Since November, it's been different circumstances and different priorities, which we fully accept.

"Coaching England isn't like coaching the other top national teams because of the advantages they have in terms of player contracts and everything else, so you just have to accept that.

"We had massive support from everyone in the build-up to the World Cup, that's why England won it," he added.

"You have to accept that we are at the end of a season now and it's a case of picking players really on form, which maybe I didn't quite get right last weekend.

"Clearly, one or two of those players are not at their best and you can't be that for 12 months of the year.

"But from my point of view, I am as confident as ever that England have got a great group of players.

"You've got to be level-headed about what we've achieved this year, and also what we are going through at the moment.

"When you see the players who aren't here, the likes of Jonny Wilkinson, Lewis Moody, Phil Vickery, Ben Kay, Will Greenwood, and Steve Thompson back to his best, you don't get quite as stressed as maybe some other people are.

"You know we will come back when the time is right, hopefully this weekend, because we've got the players, there is no doubt about that," Woodward stressed

"The World Cup was on a level playing field - everyone arrived absolutely at their best - and England won.

"The fall-out since has been a little bit more dramatic than I thought it was going to be, but it is not something I am going to really lose too much sleep over - a little bit, but not too much."