Sport

Woodward leaves five Lions on the bench

SIX NATIONS: England boss Clive Woodward last night named five Lions Test players, including Martin Johnson and Lawrence Dallaglio…

Wed Apr 03 2002 - 01:00

SIX NATIONS: England boss Clive Woodward last night named five Lions Test players, including Martin Johnson and Lawrence Dallaglio, on the bench for Sunday's Six Nations Championship finale against Italy in Rome.

That star-studded contingent also includes Austin Healey, who has been dropped to make way for fit-again Jason Robinson as the only change following England's record 50-10 victory over Wales. Scrumhalf Matt Dawson and prop Jason Leonard complete the Lions bench contingent.

Although Johnson was available again after serving a 21-day ban for punching Saracens hooker Robbie Russell, Woodward had "no hesitation" in retaining flanker Neil Back as captain. Back skippered the side against Wales, and keeps the job for his 50th Test cap.

"No one should read anything into Martin Johnson starting on the bench," Woodward said. "It is purely because I want to see Danny Grewcock and Ben Kay play together again, and Martin will have a major part to play in the game."

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Dallaglio, meanwhile, is back in an England match-day 22 for the first time since April last year, when he helped England destroy France 48-19. Dallaglio suffered a serious knee injury during Wasps' Premiership play-off defeat against Bath a month later.

Four players - Bath's Iain Balshaw, Leicester full back Tim Stimpson, Tigers flanker Martin Corry and Wasps back-row man Joe Worsley - are omitted from the 22 on duty against Wales.

Robinson, England's most damaging strike-runner, was always going to return once he recovered from an abdominal muscle injury.

ENGLAND (v Italy): J Robinson (Sale); D Luger (Harlequins), W Greenwood (Harlequins), M Tindall (Bath), B Cohen (Northampton); J Wilkinson (Newcastle), K Bracken (Saracens); G Rowntree (Leicester), S Thompson (Northampton), J White (Bristol), D Grewcock (Bath), B Kay (Leicester), L Moody (Leicester), N Back (Leicester, capt), R Hill (Saracens). Replacements: D West (Leicester), J Leonard (Harlequins), M Johnson (Leicester), L Dallaglio (Wasps), M Dawson (Northampton), C Hodgson (Sale), A Healey (Leicester).