It is time to move on. Time to forget the 2003 World Cup and focus on France 2007. And for once the rugby-playing world, or at least some of its big hitters, seem to be in step.

South Africa have six uncapped players in their squad to tour England, Wales, Ireland and Scotland, and Graham Henry will leave Andrew Mehrtens and Justin Marshall behind when the All Blacks visit Britain, France and Italy. "They have passed 30 and are not long-term prospects," says Henry.

And England? Well, Andy Robinson has at least dropped some hefty hints about the way he will set about defending the world title won in Sydney.

Obviously we will know more when England's new coach makes his next cull. But the clues to his thinking are there in the 40 players named on Tuesday and, because Robinson says he pretty much has a starting XV in mind, it might be useful to follow the trail and see what he might come up with to face Canada next month.

The first thing to be said is that picking 40 players is not rocket science. In fact, with retirements and injuries it is harder to find 40 than to pare down the original training squad of 65. The final XV will depend on a balance between form, pragmatism and Robinson sticking to his guns. He has big calls to make.

In the back three Jason Robinson, a candidate for the captaincy if Jonny Wilkinson is not fit, is a shoo-in. He is the form full-back, just as Mark Cueto is the form wing. The final place could be a juggling act, with Ben Cohen clearly not at his best and Josh Lewsey, another who has always done well by England, only one full game into his recovery. Tom Voyce and James Simpson-Daniel are both pretty sharp and the more established players could get a shot across the bows.

If Charlie Hodgson plays fly-half, logic would dictate that Andy Gomarsall's experience is needed at scrum-half, with Harry Ellis starting from the bench and Hall Charlton, who was once too brave for his own good, third choice for now, although I suspect Matt Dawson may soon be forgiven his sins.

My guess is that Mike Tindall will captain the side. When Robinson named Wilkinson as captain he said Tindall and Richard Hill would be the vice-captains. Ergo, with Hill and Wilkinson both injured, Tindall takes over. But does he also get a new partner at centre? Robinson is clearly attracted to Henry Paul and his ability to get the ball wide, otherwise he would not have brought him back.

A wide game also depends on a solid scrum, so with Phil Vickery lacking match fitness, Steve Thompson nursing his ribs and Andy Titterrell short on game time with Sale, a front row of Julian White, Mark Regan and Trevor Woodman should pick itself. More problematic is the chemistry of the second and back rows.

I was really pleased by the elevation of Louis Deacon, a really solid, Martin Johnson-like character whom I coached with the England Under-21s. Alex Brown is a brilliant lineout technician and Ben Kay is getting back to something like the form which made him England's premier jumper. However, I suspect that the Bath duo of Steve Borthwick and Danny Grewcock will get the nod. They know each other's game and pairing Borthwick with Kay didn't work against Ireland last season because neither is a natural front jumper.

Roaming between the back and second rows is Chris Jones, although it is interesting to see that Sale use him at lock so he can win lineout ball and then rejoin play at the second or third phase. Perhaps they question his ability "on the ground", and the back-row mix is clearly at the front of Robinson's mind. His solution will tell us bags about his personal sense of adventure and how he wants England to play.

A lack of back-row speed was central to England's difficulties in Australia and New Zealand and Robinson would love to have a No7 as quick as he himself used to be. He has gone for the closest thing he can find, Andy Hazell, and the accent on speed continues with the selection of James Forrester.

Either Martin Corry or Joe Worsley would make a forceful No6, but the open-side conundrum and the balance of the back row will probably be settled by Lewis Moody's form in the next two weeks - against Biarritz (who have Serge Betsen and Imanol Harinordoquy) this weekend and then my boys at Gloucester (Hazell and Forrester) the week before the internationals start.