ENGLAND captain Phil de Glanville has dismissed fears that injury could rule him out of next Saturday's Five Nations title shoot out against France at Twickenham.
But the Bath skipper faces an anxious 48 hours before England assemble at Bisham Abbey to launch their big match preparations.
De Glanville will undergo intensive ice pack treatment on his left ankle, which he twisted during Bath's punishing Courage League victory over Bristol yesterday.
"It was just a tweak, nothing more than that," said de Glanville, who limped through the final 10 minutes and ignored touchline advice to go off as Bath prevailed 18-13.
"I did think about leaving the field, but then Mike Catt was injured so I thought it would be better if I stayed on. I will see the England physiotherapist Kevin Murphy when we report on Tuesday, but I am okay I feel fine."
De Glanville has already missed one Test match through injury since taking over from Will Carling in November.
A strained thigh muscle sidelined him for England's dour 20-18 December defeat of Argentina, pack leader and Harlequins captain Jason Leonard filling the caretaker role.
But having inspired recordbreaking Five Nations victories against Scotland and Ireland in the past few weeks, de Glanville won't want to miss his biggest captaincy challenge yet.
Fortunately, England have an outstanding replacement in deGlanville's Bath colleague, 47 times capped, Jeremy Guscott should the skipper not respond to Murphy's renowned, vigorous fitness testing programme.
Guscott, on the bench since that Argentina game, scored a dazzling try which gave Bath both points on Saturday, and is currently playing better than ever.
Replacement fly half Catt, currently out of favour behind prolific Northampton points scorer Paul Grayson, is also expected to make a full recovery.
He suffered what the Bath medical staff termed "a severe dead leg," but had stopped limping by late on Saturday evening, declaring: "I'm fine."
England flanker Richard Hill expects to be fit for his third cap against France on Saturday, despite withdrawing from Saracens team for yesterday's Pilkington cup tie against Harlequins.
"I sprained my ankle in training last week," said Hill. "I am confident of being fit next weekend. It would have been pointless risking the joint on a heavy pitch."
Hill contributed a try in Dublin last week as England amassed their Five Nations' record of 46 points.
