Woodward unfazed by injuries

Clive Woodward is confident that his World Cup selection plans will not be disrupted by a lengthy injury list.

England go into Saturday’s final World Cup warm-up game against France with seven players sidelined.

Lawrence Dallaglio (hamstring), Phil Vickery (groin), Mike Tindall (heel), Joe Worsley (ankle), James Simpson-Daniel (back), Alex King (knee) and Mark Regan (heel) were all unavailable for the Twickenham clash.

But Woodward and England team doctor Simon Kemp have moved quickly to quell any doubts about their World Cup availability.

“None of these players is expected to be unavailable for World Cup squad selection,” said Kemp.

Lions forwards Dallaglio and Vickery would have started the French clash had it been competitive, but Woodward is still able to parade 11 of the starting line-up that accounted for world champions Australia in Melbourne earlier this summer.

The four exceptions are wing Dan Luger, centre Stuart Abbott, prop Julian White and number eight Martin Corry.

While Leicester tighthead White looks certain to make the 30-man World Cup squad to be announced in Surrey next Monday morning, Luger, Abbott and Corry are fighting for places.

The majority of Woodward’s elite group is settled upon, and while star names like Jonny Wilkinson, Martin Johnson and Richard Hill return to face France in what should be a victorious Twickenham send-off, most interest will revolve around Luger, Abbott and Corry.

Luger, who is among the top try-scorers in English Test history, would stroll into most international teams, but with the wing and full-back riches available to Woodward, a place Down Under cannot be guaranteed.

Cape Town-born Abbott, meanwhile, has a golden opportunity to seal the premier back-up spot to England’s established centre pairing of Will Greenwood and Tindall, and Corry – outstanding against France in Marseille last weekend - gains another chance, with Dallaglio sidelined through a minor hamstring injury.

“I know in the back of my mind who is going,” said Woodward, in a general observation on the squad. “It is a case now of dotting i’s and crossing t’s.

“It is not in stone in terms of numbers, or how you categorise anyone. You have got an ideal model, but sometimes, people’s form breaks that up.

“There will be some outstanding players left behind, which isn’t easy.”

Woodward plans to give bench men Matt Dawson and Iain Balshaw a run at some stage of Saturday’s encounter, with Balshaw having recovered quickly from a knock sustained during the first French fixture.

And England have a burning desire to put a below-par performance at Stade Velodrome behind them when an anticipated Twickenham full house bids the players a collective bon voyage.

After France, England’s next game will be the World Cup Pool C clash against Georgia in Perth on October 12, followed by a tournament-shaping appointment with South Africa six days later.