Rugby Union: Dallaglio Returns As Ashton Looks for Answers

Brian Ashton has less than two months to name his 30-strong squad for the World Cup, but the England head coach admitted yesterday that he still had a number of issues to sort out and that he would be using a training camp in Portugal later this month, which in more stable times would have been used for conditioning purposes, as a means of selection.

Ashton yesterday announced a preliminary squad of 47, more than he had originally intended, but injuries and uncertainty in some positions, such as full-back, center and second-row, forced him to go close to the optimum number. A number of players well into their 30s were included, such as the former England captain Lawrence Dallaglio, the lock Simon Shaw and the prop Kevin Yates.

If the 24 forwards named are generally established players, the backs are more youthful with the uncapped Wasps full-back Danny Cipriani, the Bath full-back Nick Abendanon, the London Irish outside-half Shane Geraghty and the Newcastle duo of Toby Flood and Mathew Tait personifying the head coach's assertion that the holders would not try to defend their trophy with one-dimensional rugby.

Given the size of the squad, there were never going to be many surprise omissions. The Bath second-row Danny Grewcock was left out after this week receiving a six-week ban, which starts on August 4, for punching during last month's European Challenge Cup final, but Ashton said the 34-year-old planned to appeal against the length of the ban and may be reconsidered if it is reduced.

The Gloucester backs James Simpson-Daniel and Iain Balshaw were left out because of their tendency to pick up injuries, although Jonny Wilkinson, Mike Tindall (who is recovering from a broken leg), Phil Vickery and Mike Catt, four survivors from the 2003 World Cup who have spent considerable periods since then on the treatment table, were deemed too experienced to jettison.

Tindall will not be going to Portugal, with Ashton hoping the Gloucester centre will resume running next month, while the Bristol No8 Dan Ward-Smith, who is recovering from a knee operation, has a chance of playing in one of the two friendlies in August against Wales and France before the final squad has to be named on August 14. The Sale outside-half Charlie Hodgson and the London Irish centre Catt have resumed training, but the prop Andrew Sheridan pulled a hamstring this week after getting over an ankle injury.

"For various reasons, we are not where I would have liked us to have been at this stage," said Ashton. "We still have a number of issues to sort out and that is why Portugal will be as much a selection exercise as a training camp. I am convinced that any team playing one-dimensional rugby will not win the World Cup and the preliminary squad reflects that.

"It is important that we get off to a good start in the tournament given the position we are in. We have a number of players in the squad who were involved in 2003 and their experience will be vital. Lawrence Dallaglio is one of them, but the reason for his inclusion was the form he showed at the end of last season, especially in the Heineken Cup. By his own admission, he was not playing well enough to be considered for the Six Nations, but as soon as the knockout stage of Europe started, he came into his own.

"He still has a lot to do to make the 30 and the question is whether he can last the full 80 minutes. Wasps tended to use him for 55 or 60 minutes, but they are convinced he can go the distance. Lawrence brings a physical edge with him, as well as experience and leadership, and there is no question that if we are going to do well in France we will need to get to grips with the bigger sides."

Dallaglio is one of 11 players from the Heineken Cup winners Wasps in the 47. Leicester provide seven with Leeds and Worcester the only two Premiership clubs not represented. Cipriani, Dan Hipkiss and Ward-Smith are the only uncapped players while nine of the 23 backs (not including Wilkinson and Hodgson, with Ashton all but ruling out either being considered in the midfield) can play in the centre. The Wasps centre Fraser Waters, man of the match in the Heineken Cup final, is likely to make the 30 if Tindall is ruled out.

Asked if England were likely World Cup winners, Ashton replied: "We are the defending champions but the rest of the world has probably written us off. I cannot think of two better motivations and we have enough ability in the squad to surprise one or two people."

One area where he has been fortunate is the improved relations between Twickenham and the Premiership clubs, with talks over a new agreement on the management of elite players scheduled to resume this week. Under the current agreement elite players must have an 11-week off-season, which means that any player who appeared in the Test series in South Africa would not be available for the friendly against Wales on August 4. "I think this is an issue which can be resolved," said the Rugby Football Union's elite performance director, Rob Andrew.

Training squad


Backs


Nick Abendanon

Bath, age 20, 1 cap

Olly Barkley

Bath, 25, 16

Mike Catt

London Irish, 35, 69

Danny Cipriani

Wasps, 19, 0

Mark Cueto

Sale, 27, 19

Andy Farrell

Saracens, 32, 3

Toby Flood

Newcastle, 21, 8

Shane Geraghty

London Irish, 20, 2

Andy Gomarsall

Harlequins, 32, 25

Dan Hipkiss

Leicester, 24, 0

Charlie Hodgson

Sale, 29, 26

Josh Lewsey

Wasps, 30, 47

Olly Morgan

Gloucester, 21, 2

Jamie Noon

Newcastle, 27, 24

Shaun Perry

Bristol, 29, 9

Peter Richards

Gloucester, 29, 6

Jason Robinson

Sale, 32, 44

Paul Sackey

Wasps, 27, 2

David Strettle

Harlequins, 23, 3

Mathew Tait

Newcastle, 21, 11

Mike Tindall

Gloucester, 28, 53

Fraser Waters

Wasps, 31, 3

Jonny Wilkinson

Newcastle, 28, 57

Forwards


Steve Borthwick

Bath, age 27, 27 caps

George Chuter

Leicester, 30, 11

Martin Corry

Leicester, 33, 54

Lawrence Dallaglio

Wasps, 34, 77

Louis Deacon

Leicester, 26, 8

Nick Easter

Harlequins, 31, 4

Perry Freshwater

Perpignan, 33, 7

James Haskell

Wasps, 22, 1

Andrew Hazell

Gloucester, 29, 7

Ben Kay

Leicester, 31, 45

Magnus Lund

Sale, 23, 10

Lee Mears

Bath, 28, 15

Lewis Moody

Leicester, 29, 44

Tom Palmer

Wasps, 28, 8

Tom Rees

Wasps, 22, 5

Mark Regan

Bristol, 35, 35

Simon Shaw

Wasps, 33, 34

Andrew Sheridan

Sale, 27, 11

Matt Stevens

Bath, 24, 11

Phil Vickery

Wasps, 31, 52

Dan Ward-Smith

Bristol, 29, 0

Julian White

Leicester, 34, 44

Joe Worsley

Wasps, 57, 30

Kevin Yates

Saracens, 4, 34