England’s back row resources have been stretched before they even depart for the World Cup after Tom Wood was forced to pull out of tomorrow’s final warm-up international against Ireland.

Martin Johnson has named a new-look midfield of Jonny Wilkinson, Mike Tindall and Manu Tuilagi for England’s final World Cup warm-up international against Ireland on Saturday.

ENGLAND centre Riki Flutey admits Wasps are “hurting” ahead of tonight’s Amlin Challenge Cup quarter-final clash against London rivals Harlequins.

Nick Easter will captain England against Ireland in Saturday’s RBS Six Nations Championship clash after Mike Tindall was ruled out with an ankle ligament strain.

BEN YOUNGS declared England’s RBS 6 Nations campaign would be rendered a “shambles” if they lose to Scotland today.

England manager Martin Johnson has made one change for Sunday’s Calcutta Cup game against Scotland, with Alex Corbisiero replacing the injured Andrew Sheridan at loose-head prop.

JULIEN BONNAIRE has promised there will be no fear in the France ranks when Marc Lievremont’s troops run out at Twickenham tomorrow.

Lewis Moody’s hopes of captaining England against France at Twickenham on Saturday have been wrecked by a recurrence of his knee injury.

England manager Martin Johnson has named an unchanged team for Saturday’s RBS 6 Nations clash with Italy at Twickenham.

WASPS director of rugby Tony Hanks was delighted with the pay-off for the hard work which ensured yesterday’s Heineken Cup clash with Newport Gwent Dragons went ahead.

England 11 South Africa 21

IF ever Martin Johnson was going to dash down the touchline, punching the air in celebration like Jose Mourinho it was at Twickenham on Saturday.

WASPS head coach Tony Hanks was proud of his players after the London club came close to pulling off a shock victory at the reigning Heineken Cup champions.

FAR from a bright beginning for new Leinster coach Joe Schmidt as his side were given a lesson in organisation, intensity and clinical finishing by Shaun Edwards’ London-based boys in a friendly at Donnybrook last night.

ENGLAND manager Martin Johnson did not once seriously consider his position despite criticism prior to Saturday’s win over Australia in Sydney.

FURIOUS Nick Easter warned heads will roll if England fail to beat Australia in Sydney next Saturday.

AUSTRALIA scrum-half star Will Genia gets the chance today (11.05am Irish time) to do what he loves doing best – beating England.

Jonny Wilkinson has been dropped by England for only the third time in his 12-year international career.

Jonny Wilkinson has been retained in an unchanged England team for Saturday’s RBS 6 Nations showdown with Ireland at Twickenham, despite concerns over his form and fitness.

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.

England manager Martin Johnson has finalised a forwards-dominated bench for Sunday’s RBS 6 Nations clash with Italy.

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

Martin Johnson has cast off the shackles and named the boldest attacking team of his 18-month tenure for Saturday’s RBS 6 Nations championship clash with Wales.

Ayoola Erinle will make his first England start after replacing Shane Geraghty at inside centre in the team to play New Zealand at Twickenham on Saturday.

THE smiles were back and promises kept as the 2009 British and Irish Lions produced the performance of this South African tour to emphatically avoid a whitewash at Ellis Park, Johannesburg on Saturday with a victory that highlighted just how unlucky they were to lose the three-game Test series.

British and Irish Lions boss Ian McGeechan has made wholesale changes for Saturday's final Test against world champions South Africa.

The Lions coaching staff have named seven Irish players in the starting 15 for Saturday's second test against South Africa in Pretoria.

Ireland fly-half Ronan O’Gara will captain the British and Irish Lions in tomorrow night’s clash against the Emerging Springboks at Newlands.

Brian O’Driscoll and Jamie Roberts will reprise their destructive centre partnership when the Lions tackle the Sharks in Durban on Wednesday.

Leigh Halfpenny will get a belated first taste of action for the British and Irish Lions in tomorrow’s clash with the Cheetahs after finally being passed fit to join the squad in South Africa.

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.

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

DANNY CIPRIANI put his England misery behind him as Wasps survived a sterling Edinburgh fightback in another Heineken Cup thriller at Murrayfield.

England manager Martin Johnson appeared to provide an early glimpse into his thinking ahead of a demanding autumn Test campaign by making eight players available for EDF Energy Cup action this weekend.

DANNY CIPRIANI and Josh Lewsey produced a neat one-two combination punch to floor Castres as Wasps opened their Heineken Cup campaign with an emphatic home victory yesterday.

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.

Mark Cueto will replace the injured Josh Lewsey in England’s team to play South Africa in the World Cup final on Saturday.

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.

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.