Barkley setback, Wilko still injured

VERSAILLES – England’s problems at outside-half were compounded yesterday by a hip injury sustained by Olly Barkley in training.

Nevertheless, England coach Brian Ashton included Barkley in his starting line-up to face South Africa on Friday in the champions’ crunch Pool A match in Paris. Jonny Wilkinson, the man Barkley replaced during England’s lacklustre 28-10 victory against the United States in Lens, was not included in either the starting side to face the Springboks or named on the bench.However, Ashton said he could yet feature in some capacity should Barkley, man-of-the-match against the Eagles, be ruled out of the Stade de France clash.”Olly Barkley has strained a hip flexor in training this morning,” Ashton told reporters at England’s hotel.Barkley was due to go hospital later Tuesday for a scan with Ashton saying he’d make a final decision on his fitness to face the Boks on Wednesday.”Jonny is rehabbing his injury and we don’t know at this moment in time if he will be fit to take part on Friday,” Ashton said.”We’ll wait and see what the outcome on Olly Barkley is and decide our strategies from there on in.”Were England to call up a new fly-half to play against South Africa they would have to arrive by Wednesday as teams must be announced 48 hours before kick-off.Charlie Hodgson, previously a Test stand-in for Wilkinson, and Toby Flood – Wilkinson’s deputy at Newcastle – would appear to be the leading candidates if England needed a new fly-half.England also have a doubt over captain Phil Vickery, who was due to attend a disciplinary hearing later Tuesday after being cited for kicking United States centre Paul Emerick.Ashton said Matt Stevens would take Vickery’s place at tighthead prop in the event of a ban with Perry Freshwater moving on to the bench.England have made three changes plus one positional switch as they look to end a three-match losing streak against South Africa.Mark Cueto has been dropped at fullback with Jason Robinson moving across from the wing.Paul Sackey comes in at left wing.Meanwhile in the pack Nick Easter replaces former captain Lawrence Dallaglio at Number 8 and there is another back-row change with Martin Corry, also an ex-England captain, coming in for Joe Worsley.Wilkinson has missed 34 out of England’s subsequent 41 Tests with a variety of injuries to his shoulders, biceps, knees and ankles.Nampa-AFPJonny Wilkinson, the man Barkley replaced during England’s lacklustre 28-10 victory against the United States in Lens, was not included in either the starting side to face the Springboks or named on the bench.However, Ashton said he could yet feature in some capacity should Barkley, man-of-the-match against the Eagles, be ruled out of the Stade de France clash.”Olly Barkley has strained a hip flexor in training this morning,” Ashton told reporters at England’s hotel.Barkley was due to go hospital later Tuesday for a scan with Ashton saying he’d make a final decision on his fitness to face the Boks on Wednesday.”Jonny is rehabbing his injury and we don’t know at this moment in time if he will be fit to take part on Friday,” Ashton said.”We’ll wait and see what the outcome on Olly Barkley is and decide our strategies from there on in.”Were England to call up a new fly-half to play against South Africa they would have to arrive by Wednesday as teams must be announced 48 hours before kick-off.Charlie Hodgson, previously a Test stand-in for Wilkinson, and Toby Flood – Wilkinson’s deputy at Newcastle – would appear to be the leading candidates if England needed a new fly-half.England also have a doubt over captain Phil Vickery, who was due to attend a disciplinary hearing later Tuesday after being cited for kicking United States centre Paul Emerick.Ashton said Matt Stevens would take Vickery’s place at tighthead prop in the event of a ban with Perry Freshwater moving on to the bench.England have made three changes plus one positional switch as they look to end a three-match losing streak against South Africa.Mark Cueto has been dropped at fullback with Jason Robinson moving across from the wing.Paul Sackey comes in at left wing.Meanwhile in the pack Nick Easter replaces former captain Lawrence Dallaglio at Number 8 and there is another back-row change with Martin Corry, also an ex-England captain, coming in for Joe Worsley.Wilkinson has missed 34 out of England’s subsequent 41 Tests with a variety of injuries to his shoulders, biceps, knees and ankles.Nampa-AFP