Ashton recalls Catt in ‘second division’ England team overhaul

BRIAN ASHTON believes England have been relegated to the “second division of world rugby” as they prepare for a Twickenham showdown with RBS Six6 Nations title favourites France.

But England’s bid for a first victory over Les Bleus since the 2003 World Cup semi-final in Sydney has suffered a triple injury setback after captain Phil Vickery (concussion), fly-half Jonny Wilkinson (hamstring) and centre Andy Farrell (back) were all ruled out.

A combination of fitness blows — and a record 43-13 Six Nations defeat against Ireland 10 days ago — has prompted Ashton to make 11 changes, including three positional switches, following the Dublin debacle.

England still have an outside chance of landing the Six Nations title, but defeat against France would condemn a third successive championship campaign to also-ran status, and Ashton has pulled no punches ahead of a demanding Twickenham challenge.

He said: “We need to start climbing the ladder again. I said to the players yesterday that we are now in the second division of world rugby, and we need to get back into division one. We will be playing a division one side on Sunday.

“The performance in Dublin wasn’t acceptable at international level.”

Only centre Mike Tindall, scrum-half Harry Ellis, hooker George Chuter and flanker Joe Worsley remain in their starting positions after the Croke Park thrashing. Half of the pack demolished by a rampant Irish eight pay an inevitable price, with Perry Freshwater, Louis Deacon, Danny Grewcock and Magnus Lund all dropped.

Deacon and Lund are demoted to the bench, but prop Freshwater and lock Grewcock disappear completely, with Tim Payne, Julian White, Tom Palmer, Tom Rees and Nick Easter gaining starts up front.

The eye-catching selection is number eight Martin Corry’s move to lock, where he will forge a new second-row partnership alongside Palmer.

Corry has made one previous appearance at lock for England — the 2003 World Cup pool game against Uruguay in Brisbane — while it is three years since he started a game at any level in that position.

Behind the scrum, 21-year-old Toby Flood gains a first Test start instead of his infinitely more celebrated Newcastle colleague Wilkinson, whose strained right hamstring means he is not fit to play. Wilkinson has been unavailable for 31 out of 34 Tests since his drop-goal saw England crowned world champions.

And with Farrell still being treated for lower back pain, 35-year-old London Irish back Mike Catt returns in midfield.

Catt, also appointed skipper in the absence of Wasps star Vickery, wins a 68th cap, but it will be his first Six

Nations start since 2001. He also becomes the oldest back to captain England. Josh Lewsey moves from wing to full-back in place of shoulder injury victim Olly Morgan, with Jason Robinson back on the left wing after shaking off a neck complaint that sidelined him in Dublin.

Harlequins prospect David Strettle, England’s one shining light on a try-scoring Dublin debut, is retained, but swaps to the number 14 shirt.

Cynics will claim Ashton has lost the plot and panicked after Croke Park where, by the England boss’s admission, his team were “stuffed”. But changes in the forwards were inevitable, while the loss of Farrell, Vickery and Wilkinson was not confirmed until earlier yesterday.

Vickery was on the receiving end of a hefty blow during Wasps’ 28-0 victory over Bristol, an incident which resulted in the west country club suspending their 24-year-old prop Jason Hobson for two weeks.

At this stage, there is no clear indication whether Vickery, Wilkinson or Farrell will be fit to face Millennium Stadium hosts Wales in England’s Six Nations finale on Saturday week. Ashton offered no direct comment on whether or not a fit Farrell would have retained his place, but said: “He was the top tackler in Dublin with 17 tackles, and he made two errors.

“He has copped a lot of flak for that, but it would be nice to see all the players making 17 tackles and two mistakes.”