By Rob Hodgetts BBC Sport Online

England scrum-half Matt Dawson insists Australia will pose more of a threat than New Zealand because of the play-making abilities of their half-backs.

Dawson said England were delighted to have beaten New Zealand 31-28 at Twickenham last Saturday but admitted they were disappointed to have squandered a 17-point lead.

England led 17-14 at the break and piled on 14 unanswered points early in the second half before New Zealand surged back to set up a nail-biting finale.

And Dawson warned that England must maintain their focus until the end if they are to trouble Australia on Saturday, despite the Wallabies' 18-9 loss to Ireland.

"We've got to play like we did in the middle of the game for 80 minutes. There's no miracle cure but if we retain the ball and play with pace and intensity we'll threaten Australia," Dawson told BBC Sport Online.

"Australia are a totally different outfit to New Zealand and pose bigger threats in different areas - nine and 10 will certainly try and stamp their authority on game.

"Australia will be more of a clash in every position whereas the All Blacks were very attacking out wide with Lomu, Howlett and Blair and kept it away from the forwards.

"But their half-backs maybe didn't threaten as much as (George) Gregan and (Stephen) Larkham will."

But Dawson revealed that he would not get into a personal duel with Gregan.

"I've rated him best scrum-half in the world for a number of years and want to mark myself against the best," he said.

"But it's not about personal battles, it's about the team battle and we've got to make sure Australia don't function as a team and that England do."

One area Dawson is adamant needs improving is in England's ball retention.

"We didn't have enough possession in the last 20 minutes for my liking," he said.

"We'd either kick it away or we'd lose it. Maybe that's something that needs looking at.

"At times we looked very dangerous but we didn't win quick enough ball in the breakdown.

But Dawson is adamant that both England and Australia will have polished off any rusty edges.

"You have to take your hat off to Ireland - they were passionate in torrential conditions and caught Australia on the hop," he said.

"But that won't happen again. It will make a huge difference to both teams being together for another week.

"Now we've both played a game, the mistakes will prove far more costly."

England: J Robinson (Sale Sharks); J Simpson-Daniel (Gloucester), W Greenwood (Harlequins), M Tindall (Bath), B Cohen (Northampton); J Wilkinson (Newcastle), M Dawson (Northampton); T Woodman (Gloucester), S Thompson (Northampton), P Vickery (Gloucester), M Johnson (Leicester, capt), B Kay (Leicester), L Moody (Leicester), N Back (Leicester), R Hill (Saracens).
Replacements: M Regan (Leeds), J Leonard (Harlequins), D Grewcock (Bath), L Dallaglio (Wasps), A Gomarsall (Gloucester), A Healey (Leicester), T Stimpson (Leicester).