Mako Vunipola has targeted a massive improvement ahead of Saturdays opening Test at Suncorp Stadium, live on Sky Sports, and admitted Englands scrum was given a hiding by Australia at the World Cup last autumn. A record defeat to the Wallabies at Twickenham sealed the hosts exit in the tournament, with a traditional source of English strength picked apart in the process.Australias scrum had long been viewed as their Achilles heel and 11 months earlier their pack had been overrun at the same venue, but Vunipola recalls only too vividly a humbling shift in power. England suffered defeat at the hands of Australia at the 2015 World Cup They gave us a good hiding in that department during the World Cup and we know that, the Saracens loosehead said. We came out of that game thinking that we had thought too much of ourselves more than anything.We were very confident going into the World Cup as a pack, but the biggest lesson we took was that on any day anything can happen. We go into this weekend knowing that too. Were going into this Test match knowing we face a massive challenge as a front row and as an eight.Vunipola admits the collective pride of Englands front row took a battering at the hands of an Australia team under the expert guidance of their head coach Michael Cheika, but said revenge is not in his mind.This series has nothing to do with revenge, but as front-rowers we have pride and want to move on. We have a clean slate to go out there and put a better foot forward, Vunipola said. Englands rugby union squad have an unusual selection dilemma for the first Test against Australia in Brisbane There is no thought of revenge or righting wrongs of the World Cup and although its hard to forget, it has got to go to the back of our minds.Australia use their scrum as a weapon now, not just to get ball out to their backline which has been their traditional strength. Now theyre using their forward pack to dominate, whether thats through the scrum or the maul.Theyve become one of the best packs in the world and theyve got some great coaches around them. Cheikas been in Europe and had a lot of experience there. Michael Cheika is looking to mastermind another win over England Hes learnt from that and now he has taken that down to the southern hemisphere, theyve become a dangerous team all over the park.Australias 1991 World Cup-winning coach Bob Dwyer accused Joe Marler of scrummaging illegally in the build-up to the Pool A showdown and Dan Cole believes that had an influence on referee Romain Poite, who oversees Saturdays match in Brisbane.We were angry because we saw things differently to how they were interpreted, Leicester tighthead Cole said. The way things were portrayed in newspapers and stuff and Bob Dwyer coming out - it loaded the contest in the scrum. Chris Robshaw sprints during the England training session at Sanctuary Cove on the Gold Coast, Australia There were decisions made in that game which went against us. Dwyer probably influenced it.But we also have to hold our hands up - we were beaten by the better side. I remember coming in after the game and thinking: that was probably one of the best Test teams Ive ever played against. They were on fire. Also See: Joseph: Folau at centre a risk Jones success short-term Jones weighs up Itoje switch Cheika: No mind games Wholesale Fake Vans . Huntington doesnt want to help run the club unless Hurdle is in the dugout. The combination thats returned the franchise to respectability will remain intact for years to come. Fake Vans Toy Story . The whole deflation of New England Patriots footballs is like a murder mystery without the violence or significance. On one side, this is a ridiculous issue. http://www.fakevans.com/fake-vans-old-skool/. But qualifying for her first Scotties Tournament of Hearts after years of falling short in tough Manitoba provincial championships is as good as consolation prizes get for the 29-year-old from Winnipegs Fort Rouge Curling Club. Fake Vans For Sale . Millsap will miss Wednesday nights game against the Chicago Bulls. The Hawks say Millsap also will be held out on Thursday at Boston. Fake Vans Slip-on . TSN platforms will broadcast 75+ live games per season – tripling the networks current slate of MLB games. With the new deal TSN retains rights to ESPNs SUNDAY NIGHT BASEBALL and, for the first time, acquires rights to ESPNs MONDAY NIGHT BASEBALL and WEDNESDAY NIGHT BASEBALL.DENVER -- Jamie McGinn turned in the biggest play before the game even began, preparing a pregame meal for the cooking-challenged Nathan MacKinnon. That pasta and chicken feast fueled the rookie MacKinnon to his first two-goal game and the Colorado Avalanche held off the San Jose Sharks 4-3 on Saturday for their third straight win. "I think Ive got to take a little bit of credit for that," McGinn joked. McGinn chipped in with more than a meal, though, scoring a goal as well. The Avalanche jumped out to a 4-0 lead -- and would need every one to dodge a comeback from San Jose. Semyon Varlamov was at his best late in the game, making several big stops in the waning moments. He finished with 30 saves. "Varly really bailed us out at the end there," MacKinnon said. "We knew theyre a resilient team. Next time we play them, if we get up, weve got to step on the pedal a little bit more." With his two-goal burst, MacKinnon moved past San Joses Tomas Hertl for most points (26) among rookies. Hertl is sidelined after undergoing surgery earlier this week to repair damaged ligaments in his right knee. Think about that rookie scoring race? "A little bit, when it gets announced on the Jumbotron," MacKinnon said. "But thats not my focus." These days, about the only thing MacKinnon cant do is cook. Thats why McGinn stepped in. MacKinnon usually lives in backup goalie Jean-Sebastien Gigueres basement. But Giguere had family in and MacKinnon stayed with McGinn. "So I was cooking this morning," McGinn said. "He said he doesnt know how to cook. Well let that slide." The Avalanche have 56 points at the halfway point of the season, second-most in team history behind the 2000-01 Stanley Cup team. Still, theres plenty of season left as they try to return to the post-season after a three-year drought. "Everybody is pushing hard," first-year coach Patrick Roy said. "Everybody wants to give ourselves a chance to make the playoffs." Erik Johnson scored a fluke goal at 5:45 of the second when the puck bounced past Antti Niemi. That gaffe ended the goaltenders day and frustrated his coach Todd McLellan so much that he inserted backup Alex Stalock, who promptly allowed MacKinnons second goal 14 seconds later to make it a 4-0 game.dddddddddddd That didnt make McLellan any happier. "Ive gone after our team in the new year, try to hold them very accountable," McLellan said. "The goaltenders are part of that. Cant keep going toward the forwards or the D men." Joe Pavelski, Patrick Marleau and Logan Couture had goals for the Sharks. Couture made it a one-goal game at 5:44 of the third when he knocked in a loose puck over a sprawled out Varlamov. The Sharks pulled Stalock with just over a minute left for an extra skater, only to struggle to get the puck into Colorados zone. And when they did, Varlamov turned it aside. Jan Hejda was whistled for interference with 4:02 remaining and Pavelski had a chance to tie it, getting open in the slot, but Varlamov stopped it with his chest, along with a rebound. It was quite an entertaining second period for the fans who braved the chill and the snow to show up at the Pepsi Center. The opening part of the period was all Avalanche as McGinn scored off a Sharks turnover, Johnson added another on a knuckleball of a shot that skipped past Niemi and MacKinnon knocked in a wrist shot to stake Colorado to a four-goal lead. On the ensuing faceoff, Andrew Desjardins struck John Mitchell in the groin with his stick, setting off a scuffle at centre ice. That seemed to fire up the listless Sharks, who quickly scored two goals to make it a 4-2 game at the end of the second period. Desjardins said after the game he didnt hit Mitchell on purpose. "Its more like when the guys come together and you try to push the guys hands away and my stick I guess caught him in an unfortunate spot," Desjardins said. Take anything away from the rally that fell short? "We expended or used up a lot of energy to come within one," said McLellan, whose team plays in Chicago on Sunday. "Were in the midst of a tough schedule, played guys down the stretch an awful lot and still (came up) short. We play tomorrow and we used up a lot of gas today." NOTES: Marleau also had two assists. ... Colorado F Paul Stastny contributed two assists as nine different Avs players had at least a point. ... At 18 years, 125 days, MacKinnon is the youngest player in franchise history to score two goals in a game. ' ' '