By Phil Harlow

TOUR IN NUMBERS: Players used: 28 Points scored: 32 Points conceded: 113 Tries scored: 2 Tries conceded: 15

"It has been a joy to be on this tour," said captain Jonny Wilkinson, one of sport's more complex characters, in an idiosyncratic assessment of England's arduous tour of South Africa.

Shorn of almost 40 players before they had even stepped on the plane because of club commitments, England then had to cope with a stomach bug sweeping through the camp.

As if that wasn't enough, the tourists - dubbed "plumbers and decorators" by an unforgiving South African media - then lost the likes of captain Jason Robinson and Iain Balshaw to injury.

Predictably enough, the Springboks were in no mood to show the slightest hint of mercy, and two heavy defeats ensued.

So with England's World Cup opener against the USA less than 100 days away, what can head coach Brian Ashton take from the trip?

England have more rugby players than any other country in the world. In theory, it should follow that England have more strength in depth than any other team in the world.

Test rugby is a step up from the Guinness Premiership, and England had players on display in South Africa who, under normal circumstances, would not have been anywhere near the white shirt.

Regan came out of international retirement for the tour

With all due respect to players who front up week-in, week-out for their clubs and who gave everything out in South Africa, the likes of Darren Crompton and Roy Winters are unlikely to be realistic contenders for the Test squad come World Cup time.

Such were the restrictions on selection though, that Ashton - who has admitted he currently knows only five of his first-choice World Cup XV - had nowhere else to turn.

The flip side of England's situation though is that players like scrum-half Andy Gomarsall, hooker Mark Regan and prop Kevin Yates had the chance to show they can still do a job at international level.

606: DEBATE What can England take from their tour of South Africa?

More established players like Wilkinson, Mathew Tait and Matt Stevens did their reputations no harm, and Ashton at least has a better idea of the qualities of some of his second, third and fourth-string options.

"The priority was to identify players who could be part of the World Cup warm-up squad and perhaps the World Cup, but who don't usually figure in international squads," said Ashton.

"In that sense, it has been worthwhile."

It would be a desperate measure to attempt to take solace in England's "competitiveness" in a Test series in which the aggregate scoreline was 113-32, but for long periods they defended like demons.

South Africa went half an hour without scoring in the second half of the first Test, while England were level on the scoreboard after 50 minutes of the second Test.

Unfortunately for England, Test matches last 80 minutes. The Boks racked up 28 points in 11 minutes at the end of the first Test and 33 points in the final 28 minutes of the second.

The scoreboard didn't always reflect England's contribution to the game

What is certain is that nobody can doubt the absolute commitment of the players on show in South Africa.

"I think you find out more about the character of the players in situations like this one," said Ashton.

"Three players went on the field in the first Test match not feeling well, and how the hell they managed to run around for 10 minutes, let alone 65 or 70, I don't know."

Nevertheless, Springboks coach Jake White wasted no time in claiming South Africa as the clear psychological victors, who are in the same group as England at the World Cup.

"We've won a Test series, scored over 100 points and got 15 tries in the process, some from structured play and some from broken play," said White.

"I think it's going to definitely have a psychological impact going on to the World Cup."

Whether a full-strength England team take much notice when the two sides next meet at the World Cup on 14 September remains to be seen.

"We've learnt a lot about South Africa, but they probably haven't learnt a great deal about us," added Ashton.

Farrell was reduced to the role of spectator in South Africa

Some things just aren't meant to be, and you have to wonder whether Andy Farrell's switch to rugby union may be falling into that category.

Farrell's Six Nations was something of a curate's egg - good in parts - before injury curtailed his involvement and this tour was his chance to really show what he could do in an England shirt only for a particularly virulent stomach bug to rob him of the opportunity.

Through nothing other than good old-fashioned bad luck, Farrell's transition to the top level of union has been severely compromised.

And with just three warm-up games left before the World Cup, his chances to make the number 12 shirt his own are fast running out.

Rees should return with fresh legs for the World Cup

While it may have been painful for the England players on show in Pretoria and Bloemfontein, Ashton's decision to rest his Wasps, Leicester and Bath contingent may reap its reward in September.

Rather than getting battered by enormous South African forwards, the likes of Tom Rees, Martin Corry, Joe Worsley and Phil Vickery have been able to enjoy a well-earned rest at the end of a long season.

If the time between now and the World Cup is used wisely, these few weeks of recuperation - not easy to come by for the modern international player - may prove crucial.