D'Arcy doubtful as England opt for Stevens at prop

Six Nations Championship: On the day when there was contrasting news on the recuperating Irish centres Brian O'Driscoll and Gordon D'Arcy, the England coach, Andy Robinson, revised his preference for delaying his team announcement until today by unexpectedly revealing his hand yesterday, writes Gerry Thornleyreports

It sees only one change from the team that imploded against France last Sunday week. And even more surprising, the 22-year-old Bath impact replacement, Matt Stevens, is chosen at tighthead ahead of his team-mate Duncan Bell, which hardly suggests that, as might have been anticipated, England are going to target the Irish scrum.

Meanwhile, a brief statement from the IRFU indicated that O'Driscoll is the more likely of the Rome casualties to be named in the starting line-up at lunchtime today, as the desperately unfortunate D'Arcy apparently suffered a setback in training.

"Brian O'Driscoll and Gordon D'Arcy both trained with the rest of the Irish squad today in the build-up to their Six Nations game against England," read the statement. "Gordon D'Arcy did not complete the full session after reporting a tightness in his hamstring and was withdrawn as a precautionary measure. Brian O'Driscoll completed the full session."

Beyond that, the Irish management were unavailable for comment until the team announcement today. But taken at face value, yesterday's development suggests O'Driscoll is in line for a return after missing the win away to Scotland, whereas D'Arcy may miss out.

It would be another cruelly frustrating and undeserved blow for last season's Player of the Championship. For all his engaging good humour and (one-time) reputation for being a bit of a lad, he has been a model of professionalism recently and has responded to each of his three injury setbacks by doing all that has been asked, and more, in his rehabilitation programmes.

Then again, D'Arcy may yet be named in the starting line-up alongside O'Driscoll, pending further evaluation later in the week, as he was four days before the Scottish match.

If not, Shane Horgan is likely to move to inside centre, with Girvan Dempsey retaining his place on the right wing and Kevin Maggs dropping to the bench.

Otherwise, it's hard to envisage any alterations, with Johnny O'Connor expected to retain his place in the pack.

The selection of Stevens ahead of Bell flies in the face of the logic employed by Robinson's former club, Bath. Stevens, a mightily impressive ball-carrier, has made only seven starts for Bath this season and 12 as a replacement. Bell has started 20 games and come on as a sub in three.

It will be Stevens' first England start, having won two caps as replacement against New Zealand last summer.

"I'm thrilled for Matt," Robinson said yesterday, "and I'm confident he will grab this opportunity and make his mark against Ireland. He has impressed in training and has been building up to this for some time now."

The late-developing Bell (30), will probably win his first cap as a replacement after a man-of-the-match performance in the English A win over their French counterparts last Friday week. But he had been expected to start after Phil Vickery joined Julian White on England's ever-expanding injury list.

Bell had been picked on the notorious Tour of Hell to the Southern Hemisphere in the summer of 1998, sitting on the bench but not being employed in the 76-0 hammering by Australia. He resurfaced with Pontypridd, and admitted on Monday that he thought he had burned his bridges with England after unsuccessfully pursuing the notion of playing for Wales by dint of three years' residency.

Nonetheless, he has anchored the Bath scrum impressively this season, examples of which were his performances opposite Reggie Corrigan and Shane Byrne in European Cup battles with Leinster, and the strength of the 6ft 2in, 19st 2lb heavyweight reputedly left quite an impression on Corrigan. In both of those games he was replaced by Stevens after picking up injuries.

The other main bone of contention in the English selection appeared to have been at halfback and centre. On the premise that Leicester are the form side in England, as evidenced by their almost sadistic, 83-10 thrashing of poor Mathew Tait and his fellow Newcastle Falcons on Saturday, Robinson might have been tempted to promote the uncapped Andy Goode, at the expense of the misfiring Charlie Hodgson, alongside his Leicester halfback partner Harry Ellis.

Another option was to recall Matt Dawson to give the team some badly needed leadership. Opinions fluctuated as to the merits of Dawson's performance in England's opening 11-9 defeat to Wales in Cardiff, but he has played quite soundly since he mended fences with Robinson after being dropped for preferring his duties on A Question of Sport over an early-season Red Rose get-together.

In the event, Dawson was dropped for the game at home to France before his late introduction after a panicky, ill-disciplined collapse by the French in the second half almost helped to steer England to a last ditch win when he set up Charlie Hodgson for a late drop goal attempt.

Now Dawson will have to be content with a place on the bench, alongside Goode and Smith, as well as Bell, with Henry Paul out of the 22 again.

"All three players (Bell, Goode and Smith) have shown outstanding form of late, most recently in the England A win against France A and for their club. Selection beckons when players demonstrate such consistent ability," said Robinson. "This game against Ireland will be massive. We recognise it's a must-win game for us this season."

England confirmed that Sale Sharks prop Andrew Sheridan was not considered for selection because of a foot injury he received last Friday.

ENGLAND: Jason Robinson (Sale, capt); Mark Cueto (Sale), Jamie Noon (Newcastle), Olly Barkley (Bath), Josh Lewsey (Wasps); Charlie Hodgson (Sale), Harry Ellis (Leicester); Graham Rowntree (Leicester Tigers), Steve Thompson (Northampton), Matt Stevens (Bath), Danny Grewcock (Bath), Ben Kay (Leicester), Joe Worsley (Wasps), Lewis Moody (Leicester), Martin Corry (Leicester). Replacements: Andy Titterrell (Sale), Duncan Bell (Bath), Steve Borthwick (Bath), Andy Hazell (Gloucester), Matt Dawson (Wasps), Andy Goode (Leicester), Ollie Smith (Leicester).