Rugby Union: Lewsey Ready to Give Wasps a Hand

Wasps, the defending English and European champions, received a boost yesterday when their wing Josh Lewsey declared himself available for a second-team game against Oxford University tonight after five weeks out because of a broken right hand.

Although the new England head coach Andy Robinson still has injury concerns elsewhere, notably at hooker where Steve Thompson's damaged ribs look certain to rule him out of the opening international against Canada at Twickenham on November 13, Lewsey's imminent return is good news for club and country before this weekend's opening round of Heineken Cup matches.

Lewsey, among a clutch of injured World Cup squad members desperate to return to the fray and restate their Test claims, is adamant that the fracture he sustained against Sale last month has healed sufficiently to allow his return. His director of rugby Warren Gatland is also hoping that the former All Black prop Craig Dowd, missing since May with achilles trouble, will be involved against the Dark Blues.

Moreover the centre Fraser Waters is training fully this week for the first time this season and may be available for a bench role as Wasps prepare to kick off their Heineken Cup defence against Biarritz in High Wycombe on Sunday. If the scrum-half Matt Dawson recovers from his tweaked hamstring Gatland will be even happier.

With the Canada game less than four weeks away, however, England will have to reassess their front-row options unless Thompson recovers fast. Northampton say their hooker will be out for up to three weeks but rib problems can take time to heal, particularly if aggravated by playing too soon.

Leicester's George Chuter may now come into contention, assuming he does not incur a lengthy ban when he appears before an RFU disciplinary panel tonight on a stamping charge. His club-mate Ollie Smith, though, will play no part in this autumn's Tests; the centre damaged his shoulder at Harlequins last weekend.

England's former captain Lawrence Dallaglio has reiterated that the Heineken Cup qualification format is weighted against English clubs and has called for changes in the way the three leading Irish provinces book their places in the event.

Dallaglio's beef is that England's leading clubs are not permitted the luxury of coasting through their domestic season, peaking only for big European games, as the Irish do. "The qualification rules need to to be looked at because every year it's the same," he said. "We have to win games week in, week out, otherwise we're not guaranteed to play in next year's competition."

Derek McGrath, the tournament's chief executive, did his best to sidestep the charge by insisting that the Heineken Cup would be "diluted" if the best teams from each country did not feature, but confirmed that he had written to Celtic League officials on the issue, so far without reply.

It was also announced that this season's Heineken Cup final will be played at Murrayfield on Sunday May 22, only 24 hours before the Lions play a warm-up Test against Argentina in Cardiff and three days before Sir Clive Woodward's squad depart for New Zealand.