England’s backs against the wall

VERSAILLES – England coach Brian Ashton’s selection skills could be put to the test as never before if the injuries which have blighted the reigning champions’ World Cup campaign cause fresh disruption before tomorrow’s clash with South Africa.

No sooner had Ashton announced his team at the squad’s hotel here Tuesday for the Pool A match against the Springboks at the Stade de France, he revealed that outside-half Olly Barkley had sustained a hip injury during training earlier in the day. Barkley had been the one shining light during Saturday’s low-grade 28-10 opening match victory against minnows the United States in Lens.But he was only playing because Jonny Wilkinson, plagued by injuries since kicking the winning drop-goal in the 2003 World Cup final, was out with a right ankle ligament sprain sustained in training last week.Barkley was due to go hospital on 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 from outside their existing squad to play against South Africa he would have to arrive by Wednesday to comply with tournament regulations.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 Ashton felt a need to go beyond his original 30-man party.However, Hodgson has proved to be an unreliable goal kicker at Test level while Flood remains an international novice.Instead relief for England, if both Barkley and Wilkinson are unavailable, could come from a man born in the South African town of Port Elizabeth and currently down to play against the Boks at inside centre.Mike Catt, 36 next week, has played at full-back, outside-half and centre during his 71-cap England career.When England were struggling during their 2003 World Cup quarter-final against Wales, Catt took tactical charge of the match after coming on as a second-half replacement.Although he has rarely been the first-choice goal kicker since making his international debut in 1994, Catt, whose mother was born in England, has kicked 107 points as well as scoring seven Test tries.Ashton could play him at No 10 alongside Andy Farrell, at the moment on the bench, at inside centre.The former Great Britain rugby league captain was a regular goal kicker during his time in the 13-man code but, although he said Tuesday his range was from the half-way line, his greatest benefit to England on Friday could lie in having the sheer physical presence to withstand the always-aggressive Boks.Meanwhile, Ashton was forced to keep a space open amongst his replacement backs because both Mathew Tait and Danny Hipkiss were ill.England also face uncertainty in their front row after tighthead prop and captain Phil Vickery was banned Tuesday for two matches for tripping US centre Paul Emerick.In this case England have already embraced a ‘made in South Africa’ solution with Durban-born forward Matt Stevens lined up to play if Vickery, who on Tuesday had yet to announce if he would appeal, is ruled out.* Meanwhile, South Africa great Os du Randt may be 35 but that doesn’t lessen England’s respect for the powerhouse prop.Reigning world champions England will look to end a three-match losing streak against the Springboks when they meet in Friday’s potentially decisive Pool A clash in Paris.They head into the game on the back of a disappointing 28-10 win against minnows the United States in their opening match – “when you see a performance like that you pretty fervently hope you’ll never see anything like it again,” said coach Brian Ashton – where the Eagles matched them physically up front.England know that at the very least they must gain a share of the spoils in the scrum otherwise Du Randt, a World Cup-winner on home soil in 1995, together with the 75-times capped front-row’s fellow forwards could set up the platform for another convincing victory following a 59-7 win against Samoa on Sunday.Former England prop Graham Rowntree, now a member of Ashton’s backroom staff, was well aware of the challenge facing the side at the Stade de France.Nampa-AFPBarkley had been the one shining light during Saturday’s low-grade 28-10 opening match victory against minnows the United States in Lens.But he was only playing because Jonny Wilkinson, plagued by injuries since kicking the winning drop-goal in the 2003 World Cup final, was out with a right ankle ligament sprain sustained in training last week.Barkley was due to go hospital on 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 from outside their existing squad to play against South Africa he would have to arrive by Wednesday to comply with tournament regulations.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 Ashton felt a need to go beyond his original 30-man party.However, Hodgson has proved to be an unreliable goal kicker at Test level while Flood remains an international novice.Instead relief for England, if both Barkley and Wilkinson are unavailable, could come from a man born in the South African town of Port Elizabeth and currently down to play against the Boks at inside centre.Mike Catt, 36 next week, has played at full-back, outside-half and centre during his 71-cap England career.When England were struggling during their 2003 World Cup quarter-final against Wales, Catt took tactical charge of the match after coming on as a second-half replacement.Although he has rarely been the first-choice goal kicker since making his international debut in 1994, Catt, whose mother was born in England, has kicked 107 points as well as scoring seven Test tries.Ashton could play him at No 10 alongside Andy Farrell, at the moment on the bench, at inside centre.The former Great Britain rugby league captain was a regular goal kicker during his time in the 13-man code but, although he said Tuesday his range was from the half-way line, his greatest benefit to England on Friday could lie in having the sheer physical presence to withstand the always-aggressive Boks.Meanwhile, Ashton was forced to keep a space open amongst his replacement backs because both Mathew Tait and Danny Hipkiss were ill.England also face uncertainty in their front row after tighthead prop and captain Phil Vickery was banned Tuesday for two matches for tripping US centre Paul Emerick.In this case England have already embraced a ‘made in South Africa’ solution with Durban-born forward Matt Stevens lined up to play if Vickery, who on Tuesday had yet to announce if he would appeal, is ruled out.* Meanwhile, South Africa great Os du Randt may be 35 but that doesn’t lessen England’s respect for the powerhouse prop.Reigning world champions England will look to end a three-match losing streak against the Springboks when they meet in Friday’s potentially decisive Pool A clash in Paris.They head into the game on the back of a disappointing 28-10 win against minnows the United States in their opening match – “when you see a performance like that you pretty fervently hope you’ll never see anything like it again,” said coach Brian Ashton – where the Eagles matched them physically up front.England know that at the very least they must gain a share of the spoils in the scrum otherwise Du Randt, a World Cup-winner on home soil in 1995, together with the 75-times capped front-row’s fellow forwards could set up the platform for another convincing victory following a 59-7 win against Samoa on Sunday.Former England prop Graham Rowntree, now a member of Ashton’s backroom staff, was well aware of the challenge facing the side at the Stade de France.Nampa-AFP