Woodward rings changes for fightback

CLIVE WOODWARD came out fighting last night and declared that England will be back to their World Cup-winning form by the end of this year.

Woodward's world champions face a daunting task in the second Test against New Zealand at Eden Park on Saturday.

Woodward has dropped four of the players involved when he masterminded World Cup glory Down Under last autumn, as England look to level the series following a 36-3 drubbing in Dunedin three days ago, which was their third defeat in the last four Tests.

Mike Catt, Matt Dawson, Steve Thompson and Danny Grewcock have all been axed, together with young prospects James Simpson-Daniel and Chris Jones.

Into the line-up come wing Tom Voyce, centre Stuart Abbott, scrum-half Andy Gomarsall, hooker Mark Regan, lock Steve Borthwick and flanker Joe Worsley.

Woodward's major act of surgery means that there are just six survivors from the World Cup final starting XV Josh Lewsey, Ben Cohen, Mike Tindall, Trevor Woodman, Richard Hill and Lawrence Dallaglio on duty.

It will be Wasps try machine Voyce's first England start, coming three years after his solitary Test match appearance as a substitute against the USA.

Abbott, meanwhile, ousts Catt, with Gomarsall preferred to Dawson, 32-year-old Regan replacing Thompson, Borthwick taking over from his Bath team-mate Grewcock and Worsley selected instead of Jones.

The All Blacks expect fullback Nick Evans to be put under close scrutiny in the second Test on Saturday.

Evans, who had an impressive debut Super 12 season with the Highlanders, was named in the All Blacks starting line-up for the first time on Tuesday after a shoulder injury forced out wing Doug Howlett.

Howlett's place on the right wing goes to Mils Muliaina, freeing up the fullback slot for Evans, who made his Test debut off the bench in the 36-3 win over the world champions last weekend.

"Nick will need a big night on defence because England have a good kicking game and they will be a different team this weekend and will plug the defensive holes," All Blacks assistant coach Wayne Smith said.

"I know some of the England guys well and they are far too proud to let that happen again. They will come in faster and the hits will be bigger. It will be a cracker of a game."

The former Northampton Saints coach said: "He (Evans) was excited about being named on the bench last week, but it's different when you're named in the starting XV. He trained well this week and he's a bright young fellow."

The only other doubt going into the match at Eden Park is whether or not openside flanker and vice-captain Richie McCaw will have recovered from a knock to the head suffered in last weekend's game.

Meanwhile Scotland yesterday welcomed the support of Wallabies coach Eddie Jones as they wait to hear whether Stuart Grimes' appeal against a two-match suspension can be heard ahead of Saturday's second Test against Australia.

Grimes was suspended on Monday by an International Rugby Board judiciary panel for allegedly "trampling" on Wallabies number eight David Lyons in the closing minutes of Scotland's 35-15 defeat in Melbourne.

While Jones described Grimes' actions as "foolish", he felt the suspension was harsh and yesterday called on the IRB's citing commissioners to stop over-ruling match officials.

Referee Paul Honiss issued a warning to Grimes at the time, did not feel the incident warranted a penalty and later reported to the panel his belief there had been no malice intended.

But Grimes was cited after the game and subsequently banned from all rugby until the morning of August 14, a suspension which takes in Saturday's first Test and a Newcastle pre-season friendly.