Six Nations: Farrell Set for Test Debut

England are poised to hand Andy Farrell his rugby union Test debut in next week's Calcutta Cup match against Scotland at Twickenham and are also ready to rush Jonny Wilkinson back into the team next month to bolster their Six Nations challenge under the new head coach Brian Ashton.

Ashton will not unveil his starting XV until Monday but dropped several hints at yesterday's tournament launch in London that Farrell would feature against the Scots on Saturday week. He also indicated that England would consider recalling Wilkinson as soon as he can prove his fitness for Newcastle Falcons. Barring any further mishaps, the World Cup-winning fly-half could even feature against Ireland in Dublin on February 24.

The tantalising prospect of Farrell and Wilkinson operating in tandem in the England midfield remains something of a leap of faith, however, as the former Wigan talisman has played only a handful of union club games at inside centre and Wilkinson has not represented England since the World Cup final victory over Australia in 2003.

Ashton, though, is a long-time fan of Farrell and, despite the 31-year-old's recent back problems, has no qualms about throwing him in. "I've been watching him play since he was 17 years old and I know exactly what he's capable of," said Ashton. "He's been 13 years at the top of world rugby, albeit in a different code. I wouldn't have any concerns about him playing in a Calcutta Cup game."

Wilkinson has trained with England at Twickenham this week and may return to club action as a replacement at Leicester on Saturday after recovering from a lacerated kidney. "Each time he's played better in his comeback game than he did in the one in which he was injured," said Ashton. "The number one priority would be form. Then I'd sit down with Jonny and we'd make a decision together."

Ashton also confirmed the injured Wasps winger Paul Sackey would miss the opening phases of the tournament with a knee problem, while Mark Cueto and Jason Robinson remain extremely doubtful. The head coach, who insisted he is not planning to switch Newcastle's Mathew Tait to full-back, is due to reduce his squad to 26 or 27 players today and several of them look set to be granted a weekend's rest by their clubs. "We're pretty hopeful that half the side at least will not be playing this weekend," said Rob Andrew, the Rugby Football Union's director of elite rugby.