Rugby World Cup News:England's preparations for the World Cup took a surprise twist yesterday when the squad were sent to train with the Royal Marines for three days instead of flying to Portugal for a scheduled fitness camp.

The 48-man squad, without the Leicester prop Julian White, missing for personal reasons, were given no warning and will be expected to complete a series of demanding exercises at undisclosed venues across southern Britain before heading for the Algarve on Thursday.

Head coach Brian Ashton wants to foster a closer team ethic and find out how players react under pressure. He must hope it proves more beneficial than South Africa's infamous boot camp before the 2003 World Cup, Kamp Staaldraad, where players were required to pump up balls in a freezing lake and crawl naked over gravel.

They were also told to strip and climb into a hole, whereupon recordings of the English national anthem and New Zealand's haka were played.

It is not the first time England have worked with the marines.Coach Clive Woodward linked up with the marines a number of times during his regime and based many of his innovations on methods employed by the soldiers.

Woodward credits the marines with teaching him one vital message when, after a session in 1999, a leading training officer told him: "There are men in your squad we wouldn't go into battle with. It's not about their skills, it is about their attitude and their effect on the team. One wrong team player can sap all the energy from the group."

England have warm-up ties against Wales and France before Ashton must name his 30-man squad on August 14th.

Finally, Japan coach John Kirwan has called for his side to show more killer instinct or risk humiliation at the World Cup.

Japan finished bottom of the Pacific Nations Cup following a 51-3 mauling by New Zealand's Junior All Blacks at the weekend.

"I was very happy at half-time," said Kirwan. "But at this level you have to finish. If you don't, teams like New Zealand will punish you."

Kirwan, though, insisted Japan were on track for their best World Cup showing, despite being in a group alongside Wales, Fiji, Canada and Australia.

"I think we're on track. We've had our first win in the Pacific Nations (a 20-17 victory over Tonga) and there are a lot more positives than negatives."