Ashton hails ‘remarkable’ Robinson

ENGLAND boss Brian Ashton has led the tributes to “remarkable” Jason Robinson, after handing him his 50th cap in a World Cup semi-final.

Robinson, keeping with tradition for England players who reach the half-century milestone, is set to lead out the world champions against host nation France on Saturday night.

With the 33-year-old poised for retirement from England duty after the tournament, a sell-out 80,000 crowd at Stade de France will acclaim one of rugby’s most exhilarating talents.

Ashton said: “I started to watch him play from an early age.

“When I moved down from Lancashire to the south-west I still used to go back up and watch Wigan rugby league.

“I just remember Jason being part of a phenomenal rugby team — and I could not believe my luck in 1996 when I was head coach at Bath and Jason came down to play for us for four months. It was an incredibly exciting time for me.”

Robinson initially stepped down from England duty in September 2005 — but he returned earlier this year to pen one final chapter that could now conclude with securing a second World Cup winner’s medal.

Ashton added: “He is a remarkable rugby player, and I am delighted he came out of retirement.’’

Full-back Robinson will line up in an unchanged England side following last weekend’s stirring quarter-final victory over Australia.

Robinson said: “Playing for England is something I am very proud to have done, and to get the 50th cap is something special.

“This is a massive, massive game, and why I came out of retirement.

“This year was really all about England, and a massive year at that with the World Cup. I wanted to make a big contribution.

“It is a great way for me to finish. You want to make an impact every time you take to the field, and thankfully it has worked out well.’’

Robinson’s fellow 2003 World Cup-winner Mike Catt is retained in midfield alongside Mathew Tait after answering a late SOS to replace an injured Andy Farrell against the Wallabies.

The pack that destroyed Australia’s forwards in Marseille is also retained en bloc, with England hoping for another mighty scrummaging performance from their front row of Andrew Sheridan, Mark Regan and Vickery.

Lawrence Dallaglio again has to be content with a place on the bench, missing out behind Harlequins number eight Nick Easter — who packs down in the back row alongside Leicester pair Martin Corry and Lewis Moody.

Meanwhile, the success of Jonny Wilkinson’s newly-forged combination with scrum-half Andy Gomarsall has been the driving force behind England’s World Cup resurgence, according to France defence coach David Ellis.

The world champions’ hopes of retaining their title looked dead and buried after a woeful performance in the 36-0 defeat to South Africa in the group stages.

That proved to be scrum-half Shaun Perry’s last game of the competition and he has since been replaced by Gomarsall, who has rolled back the years to make the number nine position his own.

Gomarsall has linked up superbly with Wilkinson at half-back, allowing England’s powerful pack of forwards to assume more dominance up front.

Leeds-born Ellis has been following closely the progress of his native country, and he claims the turning point in England’s campaign came through the selection of Gomarsall.

“Wilkinson is back on top form because they finally have a scrum-half who can pass the ball to him in Andy Gomarsall,” said Ellis.

“That gives the forwards plenty of encouragement — when the ball gets to Jonny quickly, he is putting the forwards into the right area of the field. It keeps them out of danger.

“Now all the players are performing well for them, and we are going to have to handle that.’’

France’s monumental display against the All Blacks was rewarded yesterday when Les Bleus named an unchanged team and bench for Saturday’s semi-final.

It is the first time since November 2004 head coach Bernard Laporte has named the same team for back-to-back games.

Flanker Serge Betsen has recovered from a bang to the head to retain his place in the starting line-up, while a host of other players who sustained knocks — including prop Olivier Milloud (neck) — are fit.

Lionel Beauxis has won his battle with fellow number 10s Frederic Michalak and David Skrela for the fly-half berth, while Damien Traille is again preferred at full-back to Clement Poitrenaud.