Saints prop Brookes prepared for ‘pumped up’ Ireland

Kieran Brookes (centre) has England duties to attend to before joining Saints

The Saints man is set to see some action from the bench in the final World Cup warm-up encounter.

It will be a contest between two teams desperate to get back on track before the serious stuff starts later this month.

England lost their most recent fixture, in France, while Ireland were beaten 16-10 by George North’s Wales in Dublin last weekend.

And Brookes, who has joined Northampton from Newcastle this summer, said: “It’s massive.

“They’re going to be pretty pumped coming off a loss at the weekend.

“They’ve got a great maul, a big set piece and it’s going to be a huge challenge for  us.

“Aerially they are going to be tough with their kicking game. They kick more than any other team we play against.

“But we’ve got to focus on us and take what we’ve been working on into the game.

“It’s the last warm-up before the first World Cup game against Fiji (on September 18) and everyone’s buzzing to get out on the pitch.

“We want to put some wrongs right after France and go into the World Cup with a win.”

Brookes will battle Leicester Tigers prop Dan Cole for England’s starting tighthead spot at the World Cup.

And the new Saints front row forward said: “Starting’s got to be the end goal but just to be involved in a home World Cup would  be a massive dream come true.

“My family and everyone are behind me, and to run out at Twickenham in a World Cup would be a dream come true.

“It’s something I can’t wait to happen.”