England coach Clive Woodward has named Paul Grayson and Alex King as his back-up in case outhalf Jonny Wilkinson, who last night was named players' player of the year in London, is injured ahead of the World Cup.
Woodward named the pair in his squad yesterday for a two-Test tour of New Zealand and Australia in June which included three uncapped players in Wasps centre Stuart Abbott, Gloucester back row forward Andy Hazell and Wasps flanker Paul Volley.
King was one of seven Wasps players which included Abbott, Volley, Josh Lewsey, Simon Shaw, Joe Worsley, and Lawrence Dallaglio.
Charlie Hodgson's knee injury has left Grayson as Wilkinson's probable deputy with King the third-choice outhalf. The 29-year-old's career looked to be winding down four years after his last international appearance during the 1999 World Cup quarter-finals. But he was called up on the subs bench for the Six Nations Championship match against Scotland in March after Hodgson ruptured cruciate ligaments in his left knee.
Newcastle's Jamie Noon also earns a call-up after a solid display against the Barbarians on Sunday. Bath's flying full-back Iain Balshaw, whose international career appeared to have been written off by a disastrous Lions' tour of Australia two years ago and a spate of injures, returns to the fold.
Woodward has kept faith with Bath lock Danny Grewcock, despite a ban that will see him miss the first Test against New Zealand in Auckland. The Bath captain was red carded for punching Wasps skipper and England team-mate Lawrence Dallaglio in Bath's 48-30 defeat last weekend. Grewcock would be available for the Australia Test in Melbourne on June 21st.
Meanwhile, Scotland coach Ian McGeechan has finally picked Chris Paterson at outhalf, moving Gregor Townsend to inside centre, for today's international against the Barbarians at Murrayfield. Paterson has been crying out for a run at outhalf, a position where Scotland struggled during the last Six Nations campaign. James McLaren moves out from the centre to the left wing in place of Paterson. Townsend takes over as captain from scrumhalf Bryan Redpath who was named among the substitutes.
