Six Nations Championship England vs Scotland:England have not won a Grand Slam since 1995 and Clive Woodward, sensing this is no time for impulsive selection gestures, yesterday recalled his most experienced campaigners for the penultimate hurdle in the Six Nations Championship, against Scotland at Twickenham on Saturday.
Back into the team after missing the 40-5 victory over Italy come Martin Johnson, Jason Leonard, Neil Back, Jason Robinson and Ben Cohen, who boast 266 England caps between them and, more importantly, can be relied on not to panic as Woodward seeks to establish some crucial momentum ahead of next week's probable title decider against Ireland at Lansdowne Road.
The only hint of Woodward's penchant for fresh ideas is Josh Lewsey's retention at full back with Robinson moving back to the wing, his original position when he arrived from rugby league in 2000.
Lewsey's direct running lines were the highlight of the Italy game and the coaching staff have challenged him to reproduce the same form against the Scots.
Among the players to miss out are the wingers Dan Luger and James Simpson-Daniel and forwards Danny Grewcock and Joe Worsley. Woodward is understandably wary of taking unnecessary risks after three straight wins.
"We are going game by game and this is not the time to experiment too much," he said. "I don't take Scotland lightly. They've created a lot of positive rugby this season."
The head coach paid tribute to the medical personnel who have restored Leonard to the front row faster than many expected after the prop pulled a hamstring on his 100th England appearance last month.
His return means Northampton's Robbie Morris drops to the A team along with Simpson-Daniel and Kyran Bracken, who has lost out to Andy Gomarsall as reserve scrumhalf on the senior bench.
Northampton's Paul Grayson is involved at the highest level for the first time since the 1999 World Cup as Jonny Wilkinson's understudy, but Robinson, in blistering form for Sale, is the main concern for his club-mate and Scotland captain Bryan Redpath.
"Jason's a player I'd have on the team-sheet every week," said Redpath. "It's a dangerous thing to doubt someone like him."
Meanwhile, Sebastien Chabal, in line to replace blindside flanker Serge Betsen, has pulled out of France's Six Nations match against Italy in Rome on Sunday.
The Bourgoin flanker and replacement scrumhalf Mathieu Barrau both sprained an ankle in club matches on Saturday.
Barrau will be replaced by Toulouse's Jean-Baptiste Elissalde and team manager Jo Maso hasn't yet named Chabal's replacement.
The choice is between Patrick Tabacco (Stade Francais), Jean Bouilhou (Toulouse) and Julien Frier (Grenoble).
But Chabal's injury might give Betsen, singled out for criticism after the defeat to Ireland, a second chance.
Coach Bernard Laporte will name his starting XV today.
ENGLAND: Lewsey (Wasps); Robinson (Sale), Greenwood (Harlequins), Tindall (Bath), Cohen (Northampton); Wilkinson (Newcastle), Dawson (Northampton); Rowntree (Leicester), Thompson (Northampton), Leonard (Harlequins), Johnson (Leicester, capt), Kay (Leicester), Hill (Saracens), Back (Leicester), Dallaglio (Wasps). Replacements: Regan (Leeds), Woodman (Gloucester), Grewcock (Bath), J Worsley (Wasps), Gomarsall (Gloucester), Grayson (Northampton), Luger (Harlequins).
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