Dawson boost for England

Matt Dawson is still hopeful he will play in England’s RBS 6 Nations Championship opener against Italy despite suffering a shoulder injury in a reserve game.

The Northampton scrum-half took a knock to his right shoulder late in the match against Leicester – his first start since the World Cup.

His club immediately ruled him out of Friday’s Heineken Cup trip to Agen, leaving Dawson with just one game – against Llanelli on February 1 – to prove his fitness before Sir Clive Woodward’s side travel to Rome.

But Dawson told the Daily Telegraph: “I’m an eternal optimist. It’s a little unrealistic to say that I’ll play this week but I’m hopeful that it won’t be too long.”

Dawson’s opinion will be welcomed by Woodward who also has injury worries over Jonny Wilkinson and Charlie Hodgson – who would have stepped into Wilkinson’s role.