Six Nations: Woodward faces fly-half dilemma

Charlie Hodgson and Lewis Moody have been ruled out of England’s Lloyds TSB Six Nations Championship showdown with France in Paris on Saturday.

Both players picked up injuries during Premiership games over the weekend, leaving England boss Clive Woodward with two vacancies on his substitutes bench.

Sale fly-half Hodgson is suffering from an ankle problem, while Leicester flanker Moody collected what Tigers rugby director Dean Richards termed ‘‘a badly broken nose’’ after colliding with team-mate Dorian West as the Premiership leaders beat Northampton.

Moody’s Leicester colleague, the experienced Martin Corry, would be an obvious bench alternative but the Hodgson situation does not seem as clear-cut.

Mike Catt would undoubtedly be next in line, but he is sidelined, pending surgery on a torn shoulder tendon.

Wing Austin Healey could offer a number 10 alternative if Wilkinson was injured at Stade de France.

Woodward though, is keen to exploit Healey’s running skills out wide, and whomever takes over from Hodgson would probably have to also provide a back-up goalkicking service behind the prolific Wilkinson.

Wilkinson’s Newcastle colleague Dave Walder, who toured North America with England last summer, is currently battling hamstring trouble, so that could turn the spotlight on England A men Henry Paul and Andy Goode.

Lock Thibaut Privat will miss the game for the French because of tendinitis in his knee.

Wing Xavier Garbajosa will undergo tests on his knee to see if he has the same problem.

Scotland manager Dougie Morgan has played down injury fears surrounding skipper Bryan Redpath, wing Glenn Metcalfe and prop George Graham.

Wales coach Steve Hansen looks set to make three changes from the side beaten by France for Saturday’s appointment with Italy in Cardiff.

And the likely switches will all be in the front five, with prop Iestyn Thomas, plus locks Ian Gough and Chris Wyatt poised for starting places.

Lock Craig Quinnell is sidelined with a knee injury, opening the door for Newport second-row forward Gough, while fit-again Wyatt is tipped to take over from Andy Moore.

Wyatt suffered an ankle injury inside the opening five minutes of Wales’ 54-10 humiliation at Lansdowne Road three weeks ago, and did not recover in time to face France.

Thomas, meanwhile, has produced consistently impressive club form with Ebbw Vale, and could gain Hansen’s vote above Cardiff loosehead Spencer John.

One rotation change on the replacements’ bench will see Neath flanker Brett Sinkinson featuring instead of Bath openside Gavin Thomas, who is in the Wales A squad for Friday night’s clash against Italy A at Swansea.

And the signs are that former rugby league star Iestyn Harris will not be returning to Wales’ midfield, with Hansen giving his new centre partnership of Tom Shanklin and Andy Marinos another opportunity.

Italy have called up Conad L’Aquila fly-half German Gognolo to their training squad due to mounting fears surrounding the fitness of record points scorer Diego Dominguez.

Dominguez was unable to train with the squad at Tirrenia yesterday after picking up a groin injury playing for Stade Francais against Dax at the weekend.

The Argentina-born 35-year-old is rated extremely doubtful to face Wales, although he is set to travel with the team to Cardiff.

Injuries have already accounted for 55 times-capped full-back Paolo Vaccari and flanker Salvatore Garozzo, meaning call-ups for Padova’s Marco Baroni and Maurizio Zaffiri, of L’Aquila.