But Ferris, Ulster’s in-form back-row enforcer, saw enough in their rousing 23-15 defeat by Wales to suggest they are capable of ruining Irish hopes of completing the clean sweep.

“There’s a danger of us viewing England as a weak team. Under Johnson they are going to be well drilled,” he said.

“He was a well-drilled player and they’ll be exactly the same. They’ll be dogged and tough to break down.

“They can’t be underestimated at all. They showed in Wales that they can turn it on when they want to. They can play good rugby.

“We just have to go out and put in our best performance of the championship and try and get a win.”

Ferris has never tasted victory against England at age-group level but the 23-year-old is determined to leave his mark on the World Cup finalists in the Test arena.

“There’s just something about playing England. Everybody says it,” he said.

“This is my first time playing them at senior level and I really want to get out there and get stuck into these guys.

“It’s the biggest match in the championship. The whole nation is looking on, it doesn’t matter what job they’re in.

“Everyone just stops and flicks on the TV because it’s Ireland v England.

“It’s a massive game and we need to pull out a massive performance.”

England will be visiting Croke Park, the setting for their record 43-13 Six Nations defeat two years ago, for the second and final time.

Renovations to Lansdowne Road are due to be finished in April 2010 so head coach Declan Kidney has demanded Ireland give the home of Gaelic sport a fitting send-off.

“Declan has said to us that it’s going to be the last time we’ll play England at Croke Park and to make sure we put in a good performance,” he said.

“Everybody in the team sat and thought about it for a couple of seconds.

“There’s a lot of guys who have done a lot of things to get Irish rugby into Croke Park and they definitely deserve to get a good shout on Saturday.”