Coach Clive Woodward is confident that Kyran Bracken will be onboard for England's World Cup adventure next month - despite missing a fourth successive warm-up match.

Woodward had hoped to give Saracens star Bracken a run out in Saturday's Twickenham clash with Francois Pienaar's Premiership All Stars.

But those plans have been dashed while Bracken continues to receive treatment - some of it from faith healer Eileen Drewery - on a longstanding back problem.

It means that Bracken, assuming he is eventually passed fit, could go into the World Cup having not played since England's Centenary Test defeat by Australia in Sydney almost three months ago.

Matt Dawson will once again wear England's number nine jersey this weekend.

But with England's opening World Cup game against Italy now just 18 days away, Woodward is refusing to panic in response to possible fears that Bracken might not make it.

"I am pretty sure that Kyran will be all right - I am still confident about him," Woodward said. Wasps' scrum-half Martyn Wood, who has trained with the England squad for most of this pre-World Cup period, remains on standby for Bracken. Another injury concern, Northampton forward Tim Rodber, also misses the All Stars game, having hurt his foot last week.

The coach once again goes with Saracen Danny Grewcock alongside captain Martin Johnson as the second-row partnership this weekend. The pair are among five changes from Anfield.

Surprisingly, centre Jeremy Guscott sits out his second successive All Stars fixture as Woodward runs the rule over a midfield combination of Will Greenwood and Phil de Glanville.