JOHN Wells has predicted a much tougher challenge'' for the England pack in Friday's World Cup eliminator against Tonga at Parc des Princes.

England smashed the Samoan forwards to build an imposing victory platform in Nantes on Saturday.

But pack specialist Wells anticipates a Tongan eight hellbent on standing toe to toe with England.

Wells said: Tonga possess a very strong scrum and they've got a line-out, which was illustrated against South Africa on Saturday when they competed very, very well.

Quite a lot of the Tongan players play European rugby, and they are experienced in the dark arts of scrum and line-out.

They know how to win ball. It is going to be a much bigger challenge in the set-pieces than it was with Samoa.'' Tonga are basking in the glory of their best World Cup campaign, having beaten Samoa and America before giving South Africa a major fright in Lens.

As England headed back to their Versailles base yesterday from La Baule on France's west coast, Wells underlined the serious threat Tonga pose.

He added: You have seen three quality performances from them.

They are well-coached and well-drilled, they are very wellstructured and they are using the European players to drive that side.

It is a quality set-up probably playing to its fullest potential.

We've got to work hard to make sure our forwards don't just become set-piece monsters, and the guys did a good job in all the games ensuring that we got sufficient ball and sufficient quality ball to play the game.

We have also got to make sure that line-out ball is driven well, and that the scrummage ball is delivered well.

We have to make sure of consistency and keep that performance up.'' England responded impressively following their World Cup record 36-0 loss to the Springboks, putting Samoa away with easily their best display for six months.

Jason Robinson and Tom Rees both missed training yesterday as England conducted a light work-out in La Baule.

Robinson is continuing to undergo rehabilitation on his hamstring and has set his sights on being available for the Tonga game.

Wasps flanker Rees, who lost his place to club colleague Joe Worsley for the Samoa game, is also working with the England physiotherapists after reporting discomfort in his thigh over the weekend.

Head coach Brian Ashton is likely to announce the starting line-up for Tonga today, with areas for debate including tighthead prop and outside centre.

Ashton must decide whether to recall his World Cup captain Phil Vickery, who is now available following a two-match ban imposed for tripping USA centre Paul Emerick in England's Pool A opener.

Vickery's replacement Matt Stevens performed solidly against South Africa and Samoa, while stand-in skipper Martin Corry led the side superbly, scoring two tries during the Samoa success.

Vickery might have to content himself with a place among the replacements. And Ashton could prefer the strong-running game of Leicester centre Dan Hipkiss to Mathew Tait, who was ineffective against Samoa.

Ashton will at least select the side against a backdrop of increased confidence and buoyancy following a difficult fall-out from England's Springboks shambles.

Wells said: It was a really difficult week last week.

The guys had to dig in, and they did that on the pitch against Samoa.

There was obviously the relief of having won the game, but there was a reflection within the game there were some good performances.

We are well aware of the quality in the Tonga side. This isn't the Tonga of three or four years ago where you could walk out and put on 40, 50 or 60 points. It's going to be a ding-dong battle.'' Tonga skipper Nili Latu is upbeat about his team's prospects of booking a quarter-final appointment with Australia.

Latu said: It's going to be another hard game, but if we keep believing in what we have been doing, then we have a good chance of winning.

I've said to the boys it is all about hard work and just concentrating on ourselves."