England should never have embarked on such a "ludicrous" tour, Lawrence Dallaglio, the captain who missed the tour through injury, said yesterday.

"We sent people down under who couldn't get a regular game in their club first teams," the Wasps flanker said in a Sunday newspaper. "No other country in rugby history has undertaken an itinerary such as England have done in the past year.

"This tour should never have taken place. The fact that 15 first-choice England players were not available tells the tale of the ridiculous nature of English rugby."

Dallaglio is in danger of losing the England captaincy next season after Matt Dawson's emergence as an outstanding leader on the southern hemisphere tour. The British Lions scrum-half's credentials received support from the coach Clive Woodward after Saturday's Test against South Africa.

"I've got to know Matt very well on this trip," Woodward said. "You pick your team first, then your captain - and by not coming on this trip, Lawrence has passed over the captaincy and his No. 6 shirt.

"The two stars on this trip have been the captain and the No. 6 Ben Clarke. But we all know Lawrence is a world-class player, and he knows the situation."