RUGBY:MARTIN JOHNSON did not have to spell out the significance of his starting line-up to face Ireland tomorrow. Earlier this month he made clear he would be picking his strongest side, fully aware the time for experiments has expired.
Aside from the injured Lewis Moody and Ben Youngs, it would appear Johnson has now arrived at his preferred XV to tackle Argentina in their opening Pool B fixture on 10 September.
For Jonny Wilkinson, Steve Thompson, Louis Deacon and Manu Tuilagi this is excellent news; for Toby Flood, Dylan Hartley, Tom Palmer and Shontayne Hape there is no disguising the ominous message.
England, though, had little option but to reassess their midfield options following their 19-9 defeat in Cardiff and have concluded that Wilkinson and Tuilagi simply have to start. Thompson’s selection ahead of Hartley is more of a marginal call.
Three of England’s starting World Cup heroes of 2003 have been handed pivotal roles eight years on. Johnson is already anticipating a seriously physical challenge against the Pumas and, now seems keen to surround himself with as many proven test warriors as possible. Tuilagi, just 20, is the exception to that rule but England badly need to unearth a midfield cutting edge from somewhere.
Hape might not have been fit to face Ireland anyway. The former Bradford Bulls rugby league player has a sore knee, giving Johnson a further excuse to tinker with his centre pairing yet again.
Remarkably this is the 13th different midfield combination England will have fielded in 35 tests since Johnson took the job in 2008.
For now, at least, Tuilagi will be wearing 13 with Mike Tindall at 12, a role he last filled for England against New Zealand in 2008. Tindall is about to win his 72nd cap which equals Will Carling’s record for an England centre.
Flood’s struggle to make things happen in Cardiff has also given Wilkinson the chance to be England’s outhalf kingpin again at his fourth World Cup.
“He has played very well and deserves to start this game,” said Johnson who stressed that Flood had not necessarily been demoted.
Wilkinson described his selection as a “massive pleasure” after 18 months spent largely on the bench behind Flood.
“To be in that starting team is ultimately what you are after.”
His team-mates know Wilkinson is more than ready, having seen him outrun the entire squad in shuttle-runs over 40 metres.
“Johnny’s ahead of everybody on the speed tests by about 10 seconds,” said Chris Ashton. “I don’t know how he does it because he’s not that quick.”
Wilkinson, after so many years spent doing rehab work, is clearly relishing his improved state of health at 32: “Relatively speaking I would like to think I am better than I have (ever) been.”
Andrew Sheridan, who has played only one game of rugby this year and has now undergone three shoulder operations in 18 months, will unquestionably be the happiest forward in the squad.
The management had wanted to rush him back against Wales but decided to play safe. This, even so, is a key game for the Sale prop in terms of proving his World Cup fitness.
“It’s very important,” he said. “I’m rusty in terms of playing time and I just want to get out there.”
James Haskell and Richard Wigglesworth get the chance to prove they are the best available deputies should Moody and Youngs not be fit for the Pumas game. The uncapped Joe Simpson is on the bench and will definitely come on at some stage; if England are behind when he arrives it could be a searching introduction.
“We need to front up on Saturday,” insisted Johnson.
GuardianService
