Lewsey has won 40 England caps

"What is important for me is to start next season fresh and really eager and excited to play," Lewsey told the BBC.

"It could be a very long season and hopefully if I am involved leading up to the World Cup, the only time I will get a break will be this summer.

"Usually my body has held up, but this season it has started creaking."

Lewsey missed the first two months of the season after a shoulder operation following the Lions tour to New Zealand, his fourth trip to the southern hemisphere in three years.

He missed his first Test (against Italy) since the 2003 World Cup when he suffered another shoulder knock against Wales in the Six Nations, before being dropped for the final game of the campaign against Ireland.

I need to make sure I get a decent pre-season behind me Josh Lewsey

A hamstring problem in recent weeks has also restricted his game-time for Wasps.

"This year I have only made seven starts for Wasps, which is very disappointing," he added. "I have just had niggles and injuries throughout the season.

"I am having a scan next week on my shoulder and I will wait and see what I need to do after that.

"If I am fit to play, we will see. I just want to string a run of games together.

"I need to make sure that next year I am fresh and raring to go, with a decent pre-season behind me." Lawrence Dallaglio is also set to miss the England trip to have a metal plate removed from the ankle he fractured on Lions duty last summer.

But another Wasps team-mate, Joe Worsley, hopes to be on the plane to Sydney in early June.

"I had 10 weeks out with a knee injury earlier in the season, and when you're out for that long it enthuses you for the rest of the season," he said.

"I am feeling OK and keen to go."