MIKE Tindall has put England's three-match autumn rugby campaign into sharp perspective.

"If we didn't win all three internationals it would be failure," said the Bath centre, who starts against Australia at Twickenham tomorrow (Saturday, November 18). "We would be very disappointed."

Tindall, 22, genuinely expects to beat the World champions and fellow Southern hemisphere giants South Africa, with Argentina sandwiched in between.

The England players know that beating the top sides on isolated occasions is not good enough.

To be accepted as part of world rugby's elite, the Red Rose must eclipse the Big Three on a regular basis.

Tindall, according to England coach Clive Woodward, is a key component in the pursuit of that aim, even though he has yet to show his best form in Bath's disappointing season so far.

Woodward said: "His club form has dipped a little, but he has always played very well for England. I had no hesitation in picking him."

Tindall forms a centre partnership with Rec team-mate Mike Catt and he is quick to praise the influence of his versatile team-mate, who has played in every position bar scrum-half in the England backs.

"It makes it easy with me playing with Catty week in and week out," he said.

"He's good to defend with and easy to run off, and it makes my life quite easy just knowing what he is going to do in attack and defence even though this year has been hard for everyone at Bath."

Now Tindall reckons it is time England built on the achievement of their 27-22 victory over South Africa in June when he was rock solid in a stirring defensive display.

"It was good to put in good performances out there," he said. "But that's gone. It's in the past, and we can't live on that victory."

Full-back Matt Perry is the third member of the Bath triumvirate behind the scrum, while Iain Balshaw, Mark Regan, and uncapped Steve Borthwick are on the bench.