Dallaglio won't follow Johnson's lead

Lawrence Dallaglio will not be joining fellow ex-England captain Martin Johnson in ruling himself out of the Lions tour to New Zealand this summer.

Johnson is set to announce that he will be involved in a testimonial game at Twickenham on the day the Lions play the first fixture of their 11-match New Zealand tour.

While Johnson now looks certain not to travel, there is still a possibility that other members of the England World Cup-winning squad such as Dallaglio and Neil Back – who have also since retired from international rugby – could still make the tour.

Dallaglio for one has made it clear he is keen to take on the the All Blacks again, despite bowing out of the England scene before last year’s Autumn internationals.

He told The Daily Telegraph: “Put it this way, I wouldn’t let anyone down I can assure you of that. I know what it takes and I know what I have to offer.

“If I’m fit and playing well then I’m most certainly available. If Clive feels he has no need to look outside the international crop, then fine. If he does, then he won’t have to look too far, will he?”