Stuart Lancaster is optimistic that Courtney Lawes and Dylan Hartley will pass concussion tests in time to face the Springboks at Twickenham on Saturday.

The Northampton forwards suffered blows to the head in the 24-21 defeat by New Zealand, with Lawes departing after the first quarter and Hartley lasting until the final 10 minutes.

The pair will undergo the return-to-play protocols in place for head knocks, but Lancaster expects them to be passed fit by the time he announces his team on Thursday.

'Courtney is symptom-free so hopefully he will be OK. Dylan has also got bit of a head knock and is in the same situation,' Lancaster said.

'They need to train on Thursday to be ready. They will do a cog test on Thursday morning which they have to pass to train.

'We will have provisions in place should they fail that, but we are optimistic they will be available.'

Lock Dave Attwood (knee), wing Semesa Rokoduguni (hip) and centre Kyle Eastmond (illness) missed Monday's training session but should be involved for the remainder of the week.

Lancaster said that failure to take their opportunities and a poor kicking game cost them dearly against the All Blacks, something they'll hope to rectify ahead of the match against the Boks.

'The review was honest and pretty straight. We didn't gloss over anything and we know we have got to improve against South Africa,' Lancaster said. 'There will be a reaction from South Africa this weekend, I don't doubt it.'

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