Woodward facing some very tough calls
While Woodward has already removed eight players including Newcastle pair Jamie Noon and Dave Walder from the World Cup equation, five more higher-profile performers will disappear in the wake of this Saturday's final warm-up Test against France at Twickenham.
The majority of Woodward's 30-man group is settled upon, and while star names like Jonny Wilkinson, Martin Johnson and Richard Hill return to face France in what should be a victorious Twickenham send-off, most interest will revolve around three players fighting for their World Cup lives.
Wing Dan Luger, centre Stuart Abbott and number eight Martin Corry are battling to make the squad, all of them seeking recognition in hugely-competitive positions.
"Martin Corry has done very well," Woodward said. "We always thought we would give him one game (the French clash is England's third warm-up fixture), and he has ended up having three. He's done everything that has been asked of him, and it is going to make the final selection challenging."
Abbott and Leicester's Ollie Smith, an impressive contributor despite England's 17-16 defeat at Stade Velodrome, are scrapping for one position if Woodward decides to take only three specialist centres.
It is conceivable that Luger, Corry and another Lion Leicester star Austin Healey could all miss out when Woodward parades his World Cup elite in Surrey next Monday morning.
"I know in the back of my mind who is going," said Woodward.
"It is a case now of dotting i's and crossing t's. It is not in stone in terms of numbers, or how you categorise anyone.
"You have got an ideal model, but sometimes, people's form breaks that up. There will be some outstanding players left behind, which isn't easy."
Woodward will field 11 of the side against France that accounted for world champions Australia 25-14 in Melbourne earlier this summer.
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