GREAT Britain received their biggest pre-Ashes boost of the year so far this week writes Chris Hall

Australia have announced they may take on Russia as part of their build-up to the three-Test series, with usual opponents France seemingly as partial to a war on the pitch as to one in the middle east.

Surely this fixture will be worthless to both parties. The Russians will gain nothing but a morale bashing from an 80-odd point humiliation, while the Kangaroos would probably get more of a work out from a game of dominoes.

Coming up against a fiercely patriotic, and hopefully full strength, Lions side shortly afterwards could prove something of a culture shock for the tourists.