Lawrence Dallaglio was last night selected for his second comeback Test match - with the full backing of the English Rugby Union's most powerful figures.
Dallaglio, who faces a Rugby Football Union disciplinary hearing tomorrow morning, is in the England side to face World Cup warm-up opponents Canada at Twickenham on Saturday.
Whether he plays or not depends on the outcome of today's high profile trial, chaired by High Court judge Sir Oliver Popplewell.
But the England squad last night united behind their former captain as he prepared to answer a disrepute charge following drug-taking allegations made by a tabloid newspaper three months ago.
He was due to face a potentially far more serious further charge, namely that he took recreational drugs during the 1997 British Lions tour of South Africa, but that was dramatically dropped by RFU disciplinary officer Roy Manock after "new evidence" emerged.
England coach Clive Woodward, Dallaglio's staunchest supporter throughout the summer-long saga, has no qualms about picking his star number eight again this weekend.
And, as before the USA Test last Saturday when Dallaglio returned to England colours after resigning as skipper and withdrawing from an important five-week tour to Australia, Woodward sought support from RFU chief executive Francis Baron, management board chairman Brian Baister and Club England chairman Fran Cotton.
Woodward has also angrily refuted claims that he chose Dallaglio to play against America as a so-called protest move over the drug-taking charge which until late Monday night hung ominously over the Wasps star.
Woodward revealed: "I sat face to face with Francis Baron and said that I would like to play Lawrence against the USA - Francis said that I had his full support.
"I also sat face-to-face with Brian Baister, and he told me the same thing, while I made a phone call to Fran Cotton and received his support. It wasn't a personal protest by me to select Lawrence against the USA, it was based on the three people I spoke to."
Today's hearing should conclude an episode that has dominated the sport since the allegations emerged.
If found guilty, the likelihood is that Dallaglio will receive a substantial fine.
