Farrell: Invaluable experience

Andy Farrell: Sees the positives from the tour to South Africa

Andy Farrell believes England's tour to South Africa will provide an "invaluable" experience to the squad in the build up to the 2015 World Cup.

Farrell will return to the England set-up, having initially rejected the chance to join Stuart Lancaster's backroom staff after the RBS Six Nations.

However Farrell opted to quit Saracens at the end of the season and has now signed a long-term deal with the RFU.

His first job will be to help finalise the selection of the elite squad for the four vital autumn QBE internationals against Australia, South Africa, New Zealand and Fiji.

England must retain fourth place in the world rankings by the end of that series if they are to be top seeds in their own World Cup in 2015 and avoid being drawn with one of the southern hemisphere big guns in the group stages.

Passion

Farrell believes England will return to Twickenham in November stronger for the experience of having taken on the Springboks on South African soil and finishing a brutal series with a 14-14 draw.

"That type of experience is invaluable," said Farrell, who watched the first Test defeat in Durban as a supporter in the stands.

"England went out after a great Six Nations campaign, a great start in the new life of this English side, and to see the passion and life and death (attitude towards) sport over there is a fantastic experience for the young team.

"To fight on all fronts in all three games and to come away with a draw at the end is no mean feat at all. It is a valuable experience this side has for the future."