Delon Armitage is ready to face the Australian rugby barrage at Twickenham

There is little point in Australia sledging Delon Armitage at Twickenham on Saturday for whatever put-down they might come up with, it will be as nothing to the swirl of self-doubt that was churning through the head of the England full-back prior to his debut last weekend.

Armitage is obviously a master of disguise for he looked every inch a proven Test performer. The reality was quite different. He was plagued by the demons prior to kick-off. He had no stomach for breakfast and had to force himself to take protein shakes for energy. On the way to the ground, traditionally a time for a new cap to soak up the atmosphere, Armitage was asleep.

Once out on the pitch, primed for action, you might have expected him to push the nerves to the back of his mind and visualise those opening moments. Instead Armitage looked around the celebrated backdrop and wondered what the hell he was doing there.

He was a mess.

"There was all sort of stuff going through my head," said Armitage, none the worse for the emotional turmoil given that he was made man-of-the-match.