While 35-year-old Catt confesses he is amazed to be installed as the fourth-oldest England captain of all-time, he also has short shrift for those critics eager to write him off.

Catt will become England's 14th different skipper in the last 10 years when he leads out the world champions against RBS 6 Nations title favourites France at Twickenham on Sunday.

Head coach Brian Ashton's appointment - probably for one match only if Phil Vickery is declared fit to tackle Wales next week - has raised eyebrows in many quarters of the English game.

World Cup glory apart, Catt will be remembered by some as the player Jonah Lomu famously ran over in Cape Town 12 years ago, and for being booed at Twickenham.

But the goodwill messages this week - from Sir Clive Woodward, Kyran Bracken and Martin Bayfield, among others - confirm Catts popularity and standing at the highest level in English rugby.

It is testament to his fitness and performance level that Ashton felt he could even consider Catt for a first Six Nations start since 2001, let alone make him skipper.

But after being put in charge for a game that will see England trying to bounce back from a record 43-13 RBS 6 Nations loss to Ireland two weeks ago, Catt is determined not to disappoint.

He said: Everyone goes on about the negatives, but the positives way outweigh the negatives in my career.

Everyone harps on about Lomu and the booing at Twickenham, but those are just two instances. I could probably think of a thousand positives.

Everyone has bad times in their careers but you move on. I have been strong enough to get back on the bandwagon.

If England are to put their RBS 6 Nations campaign back on track, then Catt has a huge role to play, especially alongside 21-year-old fly-half Toby Flood at inside-centre.

But the South Africa-born back, who has enjoyed something of a career renaissance since joining London Irish in 2004, is relishing getting to grips with unbeaten opponents who are just two wins away from achieving yet another Grand Slam.

Catt added: It was a bit of a surprise to me, as it was to everyone else in the rugby world, I think.

But it is a great honour, and I am pretty proud to be selected to lead these guys into an international.