Tendai Mtawarira in fitness race as England match looms

Prop Tendai Mtawarira is a doubt for South Africa's clash with England at Twickenham on Saturday after missing training with a medial knee ligament strain.

The 25-year-old Sharks loosehead has started all three Tests on tour but picked up the injury in the 21-17 defeat to Scotland at Murrayfield. His fitness will be monitored during the week before a decision is made on his availability. Should Mtawarira, nicknamed 'The Beast', be ruled out, CJ van der Linde is likely to be the man to deputise, and scrum coach Os du Randt believes the Springboks have the strength to cope with any front-row injury problems.

"CJ van der Linde covers both prop positions and we have Coenie Oosthuizen who has been making his way as a loosehead," said Du Randt. "He was a tighthead at school and has the ability to play there in the future but for now it's better to phase him in as a loosehead, where he made his senior debut as a 19-year-old. He has the talent and the ability to play for the Springboks for a long time."

Du Randt, a World Cup winner in 1995 and 2007, also hopes to see a positive reaction from the tourists following that defeat in Edinburgh. "Scotland used their defeat by the All Blacks to motivate them against us. We can use the disappointment of Saturday in the same way," he added.

The Rugby Football Union confirmed yesterday that England will play three warm-up games next summer ahead of the World Cup In New Zealand.

Martin Johnson's side will face Wales at Twickenham on 6 August before travelling to the Millennium Stadium for a return fixture just seven days later. They will then face Ireland at Aviva Stadium on 27 August before departing for New Zealand the following week.

Meanwhile, New Zealand hooker Keven Mealamu has described the fall-out from his ban for striking England captain Lewis Moody with his head as the toughest period of his eight-year international career.

The 31-year-old Blues forward was initially handed a four-week suspension after being cited over the incident, in which he appeared to butt Moody as the flanker lay on the ground during the All Blacks' 26-16 victory at Twickenham. That ban was reduced to two weeks on appeal.

As a result the 82-cap front-rower missed the wins in Scotland and Ireland, but is available for selection as Graham Henry's side look to clinch a third successful Grand Slam tour in six seasons against Wales at the Millennium Stadium on Saturday.

Mealamu said "I dthink it has been the toughest period of my career but you try and draw the positives from these things and it has given me a chance to prepare well for Saturday and get the best out of the situation."