Sport

Johnson sees his options diminish

MARTIN JOHNSON will name one of the most inexperienced England teams in memory to face Australia at Twickenham on Saturday – …

Wed Nov 04 2009 - 00:00

MARTIN JOHNSON will name one of the most inexperienced England teams in memory to face Australia at Twickenham on Saturday – and that is despite the return of Jonny Wilkinson.

England’s likely starting XV contains 11 players with 13 caps or less, five of whom can count their international appearances on the fingers of one hand. Even with veterans Wilkinson, Lewis Moody and Steve Borthwick in the team, the average number of caps per man is a paltry 18.

Johnson’s plans for the autumn Investec Challenge Series have been ravaged by injuries and his team announcement was delayed until today to give Northampton hooker Dylan Hartley every chance of recovering from a hamstring strain. But England’s plans for the Wallabies became much clearer yesterday when it was confirmed Ben Kay, Nick Kennedy, Ben Foden and Mathew Tait were among 10 players returning to their clubs.

The departures of Foden and Tait provide confirmation Ugo Monye, Matt Banahan and Mark Cueto will start in the back three, with Shane Geraghty and Dan Hipkiss in midfield. Uncapped Biarritz centre Ayoola Erinle is a surprise inclusion in the 22-man squad and is set to provide powerful midfield back-up from the bench.

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As a result of England’s injury crisis, Johnson is seeking stability and continuity anywhere he can find it – and that is by naming the same tight five that faced Argentina in June and, possibly, an all-Leicester back row. Leicester’s Louis Deacon is set to keep his secondrow place alongside captain Steve Borthwick, with uncapped Courtenay Lawes on the bench.

ENGLAND SQUAD: Forwards: D Bell (Bath), S Borthwick (Saracens, capt), J Crane (Leicester), T Croft (Leicester), L Deacon (Leicester), D Hartley (Northampton), J Haskell (Stade Français), C Lawes (Northampton), L Moody (Leicester), T Payne (Wasps), S Thompson (Brive), D Wilson (Bath). Backs: M Banahan (Bath), D Care (Harlequins), M Cueto (Sale Sharks), A Erinle (Biarritz), S Geraghty (Northampton), A Goode (Brive), D Hipkiss (Leicester), P Hodgson (London Irish), U Monye (Harlequins), J Wilkinson (Toulon).