Three massive matches stand between the Wallabies and cup glory, writes Rupert Guinness in Montpellier.

THE first thing Wallabies captain Stirling Mortlock will tell the rookies in his World Cup squad after Australia play Canada in Bordeaux on Saturday is that they must prepare to face "the beast" which will be waiting for them in the coming weeks.

The "beast", Mortlock will explain to those 17 World Cup debutants in the 30-strong Wallabies party, will appear in three unique forms which are as yet unknown. Unknown, that is, until they emerge as the Wallabies' opponents in the three knock-out rounds that will determine the sixth World Cup champions.

Deep down Mortlock hopes one will be England, who the Wallabies will play in next week's quarter-final in Marseilles - so long as the defending World Cup champions account for Tonga in Paris on Friday.

If Australia beat England, the other two "beasts" will probably be the All Blacks in the semi-final and, if they win that, South Africa in the final.

It should help Mortlock's task that 13 of the 30-strong Australian squad have World Cup experience, which he hopes will pay huge dividends when most needed.

"There are a lot of guys who have played World Cups," Mortlock said. "The more we utilise that … the more the guys understand the enemy and the beast we will face when we come to the quarter-finals and semi-finals, the better prepared we will be."

Mortlock plans to be there playing alongside his World Cup greenhorns in the quarter-final after recovering from a slightly dislocated shoulder in Australia's second pool match against Wales.

"The shoulder's going well," he said. "I got into some good weights [on Tuesday] at the gym, doing a lot of strength and rehab work with my arm above my shoulder and then, hopefully, progressing to a bit of contact later on this week.

"[I] definitely won't play this week, [but I'm] very confident that I'll be right for the following week, in the quarter-final."

Like all the 2003 Wallabies World Cup final veterans, Mortlock is looking forward to the potential quarter-final clash with England as a chance to avenge that loss to a Jonny Wilkinson drop goal in the last minute of extra time.

"It's been spoken about plenty of times that a lot of guys in this squad are itching to get one back after how close we came in 2003," he said. "There's a lot of incentive for us to be mentally switched on and to go out and play well against England in the quarter-final."

Mortlock said the most painful aspect of that loss was "just losing by a field goal in extra time. To come so close, yet so far, it increases the amount of angst".

But he said he not would go as far as Australian Rugby Union chief executive John O'Neill and "hate" the English side.

O'Neill said of Wilkinson's drop goal and the one by Rob Andrew in the 1995 World Cup quarter-final against England that ended Australia's hopes in South Africa: "It doesn't matter whether it's cricket, rugby union, rugby league - we all hate England. I would love to see Tonga knock off England [on Friday]. But I suspect England will get through and we'll play them in Marseilles and that will be a real contest with Jonny Wilkinson back in particular. It's time to get square and knock them off."

Mortlock smiled when told about O'Neill's remarks.

"Australian sporting teams have a great rivalry against England - I wouldn't say hatred - great rivalry," he said.

The captain was unconcerned about the Wallabies losing their edge with some key players being rested against Canada.

"Sometimes when you have a week off it can be excellent for you. Other times you can see teams that are a little bit stale," he said. "I've got full confidence that when we prepare for the quarter-final everyone will be right mentally and physically to go."