Rivals Wilkinson, Hodgson now part of midfield dream team

ENGLAND boss Clive Woodward last night revealed a fascinating glimpse into his World Cup thinking by selecting flyhalf rivals Jonny Wilkinson and Charlie Hodgson in the same team for next Saturday’s showdown with France.

Tue, 11 Feb, 2003 - 00:00
Andrew Baldock

While prop Jason Leonard will rightly command top Twickenham billing as he wins his 100th cap, a Wilkinson-Hodgson midfield axis could ultimately steal the show and could be of more significance to England's World Cup campaign than the result of an eagerly-awaited Six Nations opener.

Hodgson, who scored an England-record 44 points on his debut against Romania in 2001, missed the autumn tests when England beat southern hemisphere giants New Zealand, Australia and South Africa because of injury.

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CourtsRugbyInternationalPlace: TwickenhamPlace: New ZealandPlace: AustraliaPlace: South AfricaPlace: EnglandPlace: SurreyPlace: Buenos AiresPerson: WilkinsonPerson: HodgsonPerson: Clive WoodwardPerson: Jonny WilkinsonPerson: Charlie HodgsonPerson: Jason LeonardPerson: WoodwardPerson: Will GreenwoodPerson: Dan LugerPerson: Ben CohenPerson: Jason RobinsonPerson: Matt DawsonPerson: LugerPerson: Phil ChristophersPerson: Julian WhitePerson: Phil VickeryPerson: Pieter De VilliersPerson: Lewis MoodyPerson: Neil BackPerson: Richard HillPerson: Lawrence DallaglioPerson: Graham RowntreePerson: ChristophersPerson: James Simpson-DanielPerson: Robbie MorrisPerson: Austin HealeyPerson: Tim StimpsonPerson: CohenPerson: LeonardPerson: Philippe SellaPerson: David CampeseEvent: World CupEvent: Six NationsEvent: 2002 Six NationsEvent: Springboks TestOrganisation: FranceOrganisation: EnglandOrganisation: RomaniaOrganisation: HarlequinsOrganisation: Bristol ShogunsOrganisation: BristolOrganisation: South AfricaOrganisation: AustraliaOrganisation: LeicesterOrganisation: ArgentinaOrganisation: RBS Six Nations
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Donal Lenihan
Donal Lenihan

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