World Cup countdown: Only seven days before the deadline for naming his World Cup squad the England coach, Brian Ashton, has thrown a new contender into the mix.
The Sale scrumhalf Richard Wigglesworth has been summoned to England's base in Bath and may go to France if Peter Richards' injury problems do not improve swiftly.
Wigglesworth has never won a Test cap, but concern over the acute lower-back pain which ruled Richards out of the 22 for the Wales match on Saturday has led Ashton to examine his back-up options at scrumhalf. He has already lost the services of his first-choice number nine, Leicester's Harry Ellis, to a knee-ligament injury.
Wigglesworth (24), is a versatile ball-player who kicks goals and has also played at outhalf and on the wing for Sale. He impressed during the Sharks' Premiership final win over Leicester at Twickenham 18 months ago and was a regular in the England Saxons side who won this summer's Churchill Cup.
Australia are putting their squad through a five-day boot camp near Brisbane. Under the guidance of former SAS commandos the players have been required to swim across a lake, at night, after a lengthy hike through the bush.
"I've had about an hour and a half of sleep and woke up with frostbite on my toes, so I'm not feeling real positive about anything at the moment," said the lock Nathan Sharpe.
But Wallabies' coach John Connolly, believes the exercise will prove beneficial amid reports of discord between members of the management team. "In Australia's rugby history there has been great spirit in our sides," he said, "and these four or five days will go a long way to building that."
- Guardian Service
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