Pool A England v South Africa:England's Rugby World Cup plans are in utter chaos just two days before their crunch Pool A game against South Africa. Brian Ashton is declining to panic but spent last night contemplating the grim prospect of facing South Africa without his suspended captain Phil Vickery, his two leading outhalves or a regular goalkicker.
Nothing has gone England's way in the past month and the trend continued yesterday when Vickery was banned for two matches by an RWC disciplinary panel for a deliberate trip on the American centre Paul Emerick in Lens last Saturday. England are considering an appeal but, as things stand, the Wasps prop will miss the all-important Springbok encounter in St Denis on Friday night and the subsequent pool game against Samoa.
To make matters worse, England's outhalf crisis has deepened after Olly Barkley strained a hip flexor during training in Versailles. With Jonny Wilkinson still not deemed fit enough to be named in England's 22-man squad, it leaves Ashton with a major headache at number 10.
Unless Barkley's injury improves overnight, the management will probably have to send for an emergency outhalf, with Toby Flood of Newcastle and Sale's Charlie Hodgson the two most obvious contenders. Neither can feature against South Africa unless they arrive in France today, however, and England would also have to send one unlucky player home. In effect, a decision will have to be taken by lunchtime today. "I'm not banking on sleeping tonight," admitted Ashton.
As things stand, too, there is a glaring shortage of goalkicking options in the squad should Barkley and Wilkinson both be ruled out. Andy Farrell kicked plenty of points in his rugby league career but most of his points came from conversions rather than the long-range penalties more commonplace in union. Nor has he played more than the odd second-team game for Saracens at outhalf, scarcely the ideal preparation for wearing the number 10 shirt in a major Test.
Ashton, even so, may have no option if Wilkinson's twisted ankle does not make a dramatic improvement. England's record points-scorer was able to do some light jogging yesterday but Ashton will not risk him unnecessarily. "If he's not fit he won't play," stressed the head coach.
The RFU hinted that an appeal against Vickery's suspension would be lodged. Pending a dramatic U-turn, Bath's Matt Stevens will now take Vickery's place in the starting XV with Perry Freshwater on the bench. Lawrence Dallaglio and Joe Worsley have been replaced in the back-row by Nick Easter and Martin Corry with Jason Robinson reverting to full-back in place of Mark Cueto. Paul Sackey also comes in on the left wing.
England's selection wrong-footed the Springboks' coach, Jake White, who will delay announcing his starting line-up until this evening to consider the holders' approach.
White said he was shocked that Dallaglio was not even named on the bench and believes England are paying for a lack of continuity, on the playing and coaching fronts, since they won the World Cup four years ago.
"I felt England would base their side around a hard core of players who were part of things in 2003 and who knew what it took to win a World Cup," said White. "I thought the point of picking Dallaglio for this tournament was to give him 80 minutes against us and harness his vast leadership experience."
ENGLAND (v South Africa):J Robinson; J Lewsey, J Noon, M Catt, P Sackey; O Barkley, S Perry; A Sheridan, M Regan, M Stevens, S Shaw, B Kay, M Corry, T Rees, N Easter. Replacements: G Chuter, P Freshwater, S Borthwick, L Moody, A Gomarsall, A Farrell, A N Other.
SOUTH AFRICA (squad):P Montgomery, JP Pietersen, J Fourie, F Steyn, B Habana, B James, F du Preez, D Rosouw, J Smith, S Burger, V Matfield, B Botha, CJ van der Linde, J Smit (captain), O du Randt, B du Plessis, BJ Botha, J Muller, W van Heerden, R Pienaar, A Pretorius, W Olivier.
Guardian Service
Burger cited over tackle
The only chink of light from an English perspective is that South Africa's Schalk Burger has been cited by Scotland's Douglas Hunter for a dangerous tackle on the Samoa scrum-half Junior Polu last Sunday.
If found guilty, the blond-haired flanker would also miss Friday's game and, if Vickery's experience is any guide, he should brace himself for disappointment.