MARTIN JOHNSON admitted he was relieved to escape Rome with a victory after watching England battle to an unconvincing win against Nick Mallett’s Italy yesterday at the Stadio Flaminio.

Leicester tight-head prop Dan Cole will make his full England debut in Sunday’s RBS 6 Nations clash with Italy in Rome.

ENGLAND rugby coach Martin Johnson has denied rugby has a drug culture and claimed players are aware of the consequences if they take prohibited substances.

DANNY CIPRIANI has been left out of England’s squad for the summer Test series against Argentina – but there is a recall for 2003 World Cup-winning hooker Steve Thompson.

ENGLAND romped to their most emphatic victory over France since the glory days of 2003 as Martin Johnson’s under-fire side enjoyed a staggering return to form at Twickenham.

England will start with Toby Flood at fly-half in Saturday’s RBS 6 Nations showdown with Ireland at Croke Park.

Ben Foden’s blistering form for Northampton has been rewarded with a call-up to the elite England squad.

MARTIN JOHNSON watched on as Sale edged a ferocious encounter against Guinness Premiership leaders London Irish thanks to a try created and scored by three players hoping to catch the eye of the England manager.

Sale Sharks have been able to name a strong side for Sunday's Heineken Cup game against Munster at Edgeley Park, despite losing Kristian Ormsby through suspension and remaining without Andrew Sheridan through injury.

Harlequins forward Nick Easter will captain England in next Sunday’s clash against the Barbarians at Twickenham.

England have included 13 capped internationals in a 27-man training squad to prepare for the traditional end-of-season challenge against the Barbarians at Twickenham on June 1.

Steve Borthwick will captain England on their New Zealand tour next month.

THE week long Six Nations Under-18 rugby tournament, which gets underway in Cork tomorrow, is estimated to be worth in excess of €500,000 to the economy of the city.

Danny Cipriani will make his first Test start when England tackle RBS 6 Nations Championship opponents Scotland at Murrayfield on Saturday.

Sale Sharks scrum-half Richard Wigglesworth will make his first England start in the RBS 6 Nations Championship clash against France next Saturday.

CONNACHT kept their European hopes alive with a last-gasp victory over the Newcastle Falcons at the Galway Sportsground last night.

ROB ANDREW admitted England had “rewritten the rules” after reaching the World Cup final despite three years of upheaval and just 10 months of dedicated planning.

ANDY FARRELL will epitomise the “direct approach” England intend adopting to muscle Australia out of Saturday’s World Cup quarter-final at Stade Velodrome.

Andy Farrell has been recalled to the England side for Saturday’s World Cup quarter-final against Australia at Stade Velodrome in Marseille.

ENGLAND coach Brian Ashton has “total confidence” in his players to keep alive their World Cup dream tonight and book a knockout clash against Australia.

FLY-HALF Jonny Wilkinson has called for “an enormously committed” England display in tonight’s World Cup eliminator against Tonga.

MARTIN CORRY will lead England into their most important Test match since the 2003 World Cup final on Friday night, claiming: “Captaincy is not something I strive for.”

England World Cup captain Phil Vickery has failed to reclaim a place in the starting line-up for Friday night's tournament eliminator against Tonga at Parc des Princes.

MARTIN CORRY has declared England’s record World Cup defeat against South Africa must not be a “a terminal hammer blow” for the struggling Webb Ellis Trophy holders.

MARTIN CORRY claims England will “draw strength from adversity” when they go into battle as huge World Cup underdogs against South Africa tonight.

ENGLAND star Jonny Wilkinson’s World Cup campaign could be over before it has even started after his injury jinx struck again to deal the defending champions a potentially shattering blow.

England boss Brian Ashton has named his 30-man World Cup squad – with Mike Tindall and Charlie Hodgson the big-name casualties.

ENGLAND boss Brian Ashton has backed his squad of “part-timers, plumbers and decorators” to tackle a job their critics believe is mission impossible — challenging the Springboks in South Africa.

Jason Robinson will captain an England squad containing seven uncapped players on the two-Test tour of South Africa.

WASPS forward James Haskell will make his England debut in Saturday’s RBS 6 Nations clash against Wales at the Millennium Stadium.

JAMES HASKELL has received a ringing endorsement from one of England’s leading coaches as he prepares to make his Test match debut.

ENGLAND coach Brian Ashton has ignored struggling Wales’ miserable RBS 6 Nations season and predicted possibly his team’s “toughest game of the tournament” on Saturday.

World Cup winner Josh Lewsey has been left out of the England team for Saturday’s Six Nations finalé against Wales in Cardiff.

England have suffered a triple injury blow for Sunday’s Six Nations showdown with title favourites France at Twickenham.

England boss Brian Ashton has sprung a major surprise ahead of Saturday’s RBS 6 Nations Championship clash against Italy by calling up uncapped Harlequins flanker Nick Easter.

ROB ANDREW has hailed England World Cup hero Jonny Wilkinson as “an extraordinary individual” ahead of his logic-defying return to the Test match arena.

WORLD Cup winner Steve Thompson has been ruled out of England’s entire RBS Six Nations Championship campaign due to a neck injury.

New England boss Brian Ashton has named a new captain and summoned Jason Robinson from international retirement for this season’s Six Nations Championship.

WALES lock Ian Gough has dubbed New Zealand “honest cheaters” just four days before the two countries clash at the Millennium Stadium.

Fly-half Andy Goode has replaced the injured Charlie Hodgson as one of four changes to the England team for Saturday's second Test against South Africa at Twickenham.

England head coach Andy Robinson has named seven uncapped players in a 30-man squad for the Twickenham clash against World Cup favourites New Zealand on November 5.

England have included World Cup winner Mike Catt in their squad for the two-Test tour to Australia.

Former England captain Lawrence Dallaglio will lead the northern hemisphere team in Saturday’s IRB Rugby Aid tsunami fund-raising game against their southern counterparts at Twickenham.

Barry Coughlan