England World Cup stars miss Baa-Baas

England will field just five of their World Cup-winning team in tomorrow week’s celebration match against the New Zealand Barbarians at Twickenham.

England head coach Clive Woodward today named a 22-man squad for the sell-out game, which includes World Cup heroes Jason Robinson, Mike Tindall, Richard Hill, Steve Thompson and Phil Vickery.

But a capacity crowd will not see World Cup match-winner Jonny Wilkinson in action, nor the likes of captain Martin Johnson, number eight Lawrence Dallaglio and centre Will Greenwood.

Wilkinson had an X-ray last night on a neck and shoulder problem and faces a further scan tomorrow morning. Woodward did not consider him for selection.

Wilkinson, together with Johnson and Dallaglio and the entire England World Cup squad, will parade the Webb-Ellis Trophy on a lap of honour after the game.

Woodward’s group includes 15 of the 31 players involved in the World Cup, but there are also opportunities for young prospects such as James Simpson-Daniel and Sale Sharks prop Andrew Sheridan.

There is also a return for Sale Sharks fly-half Charlie Hodgson, who was cruelly denied his World Cup chance because of a serious injury sustained during last season’s Six Nations Championship.