Armitage feels wrath of Johnson's axe
Tue, 16 Mar 2010 23:45
New kid on the block: Ben Foden is poised to make his first England start
Ben Foden is set to make his first England Test start after fellow fullback Delon Armitage was dropped on Tuesday from the squad to play France in the Six Nations finale in Paris on Saturday.
Armitage's departure ahead of Wednesday's team announcement by manager Martin Johnson saw the London Irish back pay the price for a slump in form which continued during last weekend's 15-15 draw away to Scotland at Murrayfield - a match where neither side managed a single try.
Also out of contention for the clash away to Grand Slam-chasing France is wing Ugo Monye, who suffered a neck injury in last Saturday's Calcutta Cup draw.
England also have injury concerns over captain Steve Borthwick (knee) and flyhalf Jonny Wilkinson, who sustained a couple of heavy blows to the head at Murrayfield, but the duo remain with the squad.
In all, 11 players have been released back to their clubs.
That effectively leaves Johnson with a matchday 22, although England's 2003 World Cup-winning captain has still to unveil his starting XV and seven replacements.
Foden, who has made three Test appearances off the bench, is widely regarded as the kind of player who could inject some much needed sharpness into England's misfiring attack.
He could be joined by Northampton colleague Chris Ashton, a former Rugby League player, now in contention to fill the wing berth vacated by Monye.
Even if Wilkinson is fit, his place could be taken by Toby Flood.
Meanwhile World Cup-winning centre Mike Tindall, who has only recently come back from injury, could make a dramatic return to the side in a bid to stiffen an England back division sure to be tested by the pace and power of giant French midfielder Mathieu Bastareaud.
Up front, flank Lewis Moody is challenging for a recall while veteran lock Simon Shaw is set for a starting spot after recovering from a shoulder injury.
"It is not about chopping and changing on a whim because that doesn't do anyone any good," said Johnson.
"We have got to pick a team to win every individual game."
England have won just twice in this Six Nations, against Wales and Italy, while Johnson, his backroom staff and the players have tested the patience of fans with repeated assertions of "progress".
Johnson's men have scored just five tries this Six Nations - the same number as centre Riki Flutey managed himself in last year's edition, when England were the tournament's leading try-scorers.
Now England are on course for their lowest number of points since the tournament's inception as the Six Nations in 2000.
Even more damning is that England have won just five turnovers - a key area - in four matches compared to 33 in all in last year's Championship.
Many England supporters have been left wondering how their team, which has a huge playing base to draw upon and the 'best of everything' in terms of facilities and training time, are struggling as much as they currently are.
Asked if he understood fans' feelings, Johnson replied: "Of course. We are not saying this is good enough, we are saying we can be better than that."
Plenty of pundits, including ex-England fly-half Stuart Barnes, have blamed Johnson, appointed to his post without any previous coaching or management experience, for a series of "witless" displays that have seen England play an excessively cautious and ponderous brand of rugby out of keeping with the demands of the modern game.
But former lock Johnson insisted: "The perception that the team is shackled and inhibited is wrong but the mistakes really hurt us.
"It is not the ambition as much as the execution that is hurting us. There are not a huge amount of secrets out there and at this moment France are doing better than anyone."
AFP
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