Robinson rings the changes for Boks challenge

BELEAGURED England boss Andy Robinson has reacted to his team’s shambolic defeat against Argentina by making seven changes for the Twickenham appointment with South Africa on Saturday.

Wing Ben Cohen, lock Danny Grewcock and Lewis Moody – who boast more than 160 caps between them – are among those absent from Robinson’s starting line-up.

Cohen is replaced by his fellow World Cup winner Josh Lewsey, with Wasps forward Tom Palmer taking over from Grewcock and Palmer’s club colleague Joe Worsley recalled in the back-row instead of Moody, who is relegated to bench duty.

Martin Coy retains the captaincy, but switches to number eight in a re-jigged back row which sees Pat Sanderson at open-side flanker and Worsley wearing the number six jersey.

Elsewhere, Sale Sharks prop Andrew Sheridan returns for Perry Freshwater, scrum-half Peter Richards is preferred to Shaun Perry, Newcastle centre Mathew Tait replaces 20-year-old Gloucester midfield prospect Anthony Allen and fit-again Sharks wing Mark Cueto starts instead of Paul Sackey.

Three positional switches see Corry at eight instead of Sanderson, Worcester skipper Sanderson handed the number seven jersey above Moody and Jamie Noon moved to inside centre with Allen left out.

Wasps prop Phil Vickery, meanwhile, is among the replacements for potentially his first Test appearance since England lost to New Zealand at Twickenham a year ago.

Vickery has overcome major back problems to re-establish himself on the Guinness Premiership scene with his new club Wasps, and will add considerable experience as England strive to avoid a record eighth successive defeat.

Meanwhile French fly-half Frederic Michalak’s participation in the Six Nations is in doubt after he admitted he could be sidelined for at least “three to four months” with a knee injury.

The France and Toulouse player ruptured an interior ligament in his right knee when he crashed to the ground five minutes before half-time in Friday’s French championship win against Bourgoin.

He underwent scans on Monday and doctors confirmed his worst fears meaning that he may not be fit to compete in the Six Nations which begin on February 3.

Michalak said his return after the New Year depended on whether or not he decided to have an operation.

“There are two possible solutions. If I don’t go under the knife I’ll be out for three months and if I do it will be four months,” said Michalak, who added he would make the decision “very soon”.

Meanwhile France captain Fabien Pelous has been ruled out of Saturday’s second Test against New Zealand with a rib injury.

The Toulouse lock sustained the knock during last weekend’s 47-3 hammering at the hands of the All Blacks in the first Test in Lyon.

Clermont Auvergne second-row forward Loic Jacquet, a former France Under-21 captain, has been drafted into Les Bleus’ squad, although he will be on the bench.

Castres duo Lionel Nallet and Pascal Pape will be coach Bernard Laporte’s lock combination for the Stade de France clash. Laporte names his team today.

SCOTLAND (v Pacific Islands, Murrayfield): C Paterson, S Webster, M Di Rollo, A Henderson, S Lamont, D Parks, C Cusiter; G Kerr, D Hall, E Murray, N Hines, S Murray, S Taylor, J Beattie, K Brown (Border Reivers)

Replacements: R Ford, A Jacobsen, A Kellock, D Callam, M Blair, P Godman, H Southwell.

WALES (v Canada, Millennium Stadium, Friday): G Thomas, M Jones, T Shanklin, G Henson, S Williams, J Hook, D Peel; G Jenkins, M Rees, A Jones, I Gough, I Evans, J Thomas, M Williams, R Jones.

Replacements: R Thomas, D Jones, R Sidoli, AW Jones, M Phillips, C Sweeney, S Parker.