Noon scored two tries

A team featuring five debutants slipped to England's first defeat at Twickenham in 22 matches as the touring side ran in seven tries.

"It was a very young team and when a team of their experience takes it seriously against you it's like a full-on Test match," Woodward said.

"It was played at that pace and physicality. We lost to a better team on the day but there are bigger things to come.

"The positives in terms of the rest of the year were there to see."

Woodward names his squads on Tuesday for next month's tour to New Zealand and Australia and the second-string trip to Canada.

Phil Vickery will really benefit from that Forwards coach Andy Robinson

But what he witnessed at Twickenham is unlikely to have much bearing on selection for the main party heading Down Under.

"The players are disappointed because it was a big game for a lot of individuals but the lessons for those players are enormous," he said.

Match report: England 36-49 Barbarians

Woodward singled out Jamie Noon for special praise, the Newcastle centre scoring two tries in a superb display.

"I thought he had a great game," the coach said.

Forwards coach Andy Robinson also believes that captain Phil Vickery will benefit from a full game in the international arena after a long spell out following back surgery.

"Vickery needed the game and seeing the tackle he made on Percy Montgomery late on, you could see the value of a real fast 80 minutes," he said.

Mark Robinson was one of the Baa-Baas' star turns

Robinson also had praise for England's second-row pairing.

"Alex Codling kept working right through and Alex Brown ran the line-out," he added.

The game ended on a sour note when replacement England flanker Peter Anglesea was carried off on a stretcher after a late hit from the Barbarians' Kiwi flanker Jerry Collins.

Woodward described Anglesea as "dazed but walking around".

Barbarians coach Alan Solomons was full of praise for his side, who travelled from all over the world and gelled together in just five days.

"They surprised me," he said. "We had a very good build-up and I liked the way we got seven tries.

"With the short time we had it was great to see the way they enjoyed themselves and were good enough to flick the switch when it counts."