By Bryn Palmer

Dawson is not sure where he will be playing his club rugby next season

England scrum-half Matt Dawson insists uncertainty over where he plays club rugby next season will not distract him from trying to beat the All Blacks.

Dawson heads to New Zealand with a 31-strong squad on Wednesday still unsure whether his projected move from Northampton to Wasps will go ahead.

"The two clubs are still talking but no deal has been done yet," Dawson said.

"But when I am on England duty I'm fully focused on England. I am not thinking about Northampton or Wasps."

Dawson has another year to run on his Saints contract, and the terms of a transfer to the European and English champions are proving to be a stumbling block.

"It will be a major decision in my rugby career so it has got to be right," said the 31-year-old.

Dawson's preparation for the daunting three-Test trip down under has also been hampered by lingering injury concerns that have dogged him since the World Cup.

We would do well to win all the Tests if we had the greatest England side ever going down there England scrum-half Matt Dawson

He has only started two games for Northampton at scrum-half since returning from Australia, despite regaining his England spot for the final three Six Nations matches.

"Ideally I would have liked to have played a couple more games before the tour," he admitted.

"It is not absolutely ideal for me, but very rarely do I play in an ideal world."

Dawson added he would "probably have done things differently" post-World Cup if he had his time again.

"I would have had a bit of a break to get away from rugby and come back refocused on my goals and physically fit," he said.

"But that wasn't possible with the busy schedule we had when we got back. I was playing with little niggles and you always want to get back as soon as possible.

"No-one could have ever imagined what effect it was going to have on the players involved.

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"It took a lot out of me mentally as well as physically, and I probably didn't manage it as well as I could have.

"But then no-one had experience of winning the World Cup before."

Despite his recent set-backs Dawson is still likely to start the first Test against New Zealand in Dunedin on 12 June in England's number nine jersey.

"I have had breaks in my career before and then played in big games, so I know I can do it," he said.

"I am confident in my own ability and if you want to play a part in England's future, these are the types of trips you have to shine on.

"We would do well to win all the Tests if we had the greatest England side ever going down there.