England applauded for taking Care

Danny Care has received a ringing endorsement as he prepares to join England’s training squad – from axed scrum-half Andy Gomarsall.

Gomarsall, England’s World Cup final number nine barely four months ago, was dropped following last month’s unimpressive 23-19 RBS 6 Nations victory over Italy.

And he has now been excluded from a 30-man group that will assemble in Bath tomorrow evening before tackling Scotland at Murrayfield next Saturday.

Gomarsall though, believes the 21-year-old uncapped Care’s form has proved worthy of attention.

Care is currently keeping Gomarsall out of the Harlequins team, having played a key role during successive Guinness Premiership victories over Worcester and Saracens.

Gomarsall said: “I have really enjoyed working with Danny – he has come on leaps and bounds.

“He is fully in control out there, whereas he wasn’t before. He is bossing the forwards and playing fantastically well.”

Leicester scrum-half Harry Ellis is set to launch his comeback later today following 10 months out recovering from a serious knee injury, while Sale’s unheralded Richard Wigglesworth has made a mark in England colours this season after Shaun Perry and Peter Richards suffered injury setbacks.

Northampton-bound Ben Foden, a former England Under-21 star, is another scrum-half battling for senior Test recognition, leaving Gomarsall enthusing about a deepening talent pool.

He added: “The Premiership is a great breeding ground for them, and they are flourishing.

“If they stay fit, they have big careers ahead of them. There is plenty of talent out there.”

Care will join Wigglesworth, who made a try-scoring full Test debut against France last weekend, and Paul Hodgson on England training duty ahead of the Scotland clash.

Gomarsall does not feature in the squad, but there is a place for Wasps flanker James Haskell.

Haskell went off during the first half in Paris suffering from an ankle injury and was replaced by debutant Tom Croft.

Haskell was ruled out of Wasps’ postponed Premiership clash at Newcastle last night, and he could face a race against time to regain full fitness in time for Edinburgh.

If he fails to make it, England head coach Brian Ashton is likely to hand Croft the number six jersey in a back row also comprising Michael Lipman and Nick Easter.

Ashton is due to announce his starting line-up for Scotland on Tuesday, with changes at a minimum following England’s impressive 24-13 victory over France.

Ashton though, does have to endure a Premiership programme this weekend that features the overwhelming majority of his squad.

England’s win in Paris kept alive their Six Nations title hopes, although a vastly-inferior points difference to leaders Wales means they still face an uphill task.