England's selectors have little to go on

ENGLAND'S manager, Jack RoweIl, and his selection panel will have only the thinnest evidence of current form when they attempt tomorrow to choose the team to face France in the opening Five Nations Championship match in Paris in a fortnight.

Since England under-achieved against Western Samoa with just two tries in a 27-9 win three weeks ago, there have been Just three meaningful cup ties for them to scrutinise, topped up by tomorrow's league games.

Two areas will be debated - back-row and right wing. Flanker Tim Rodber fell below his own standards for the second successive match against the Samoans and this followed a low-key World Cup.

He is missing out on big games by playing for Northampton in division two.

The selectors must ask whether a first division regular like Steve Ojomoh can do a better job. Ojomoh has the chance to press a claim when he plays in the biggest game that English rugby union has to offer - champions Leicester against his own club Bath.

He had a marvellous match when England were last in Paris in 1994 but club and country tend to shift him all over the back-row and he has still to discover his true role.

Damian Hopley is clearly a stop-gap until a specialist wing of international class emerges or until Tony Underwood is fit and starts playing like he did at the start of the year.

None of the league's wingers are demanding a place so Hopley looks like continuing, especially as Paris is no place to give a player a first cap. Hopley, a converted centre, will not let England down, but there will be little hope of the man in the No 14 shirt sprinting down the touchline for tries.

Still, England probably have no intention of banking on wing tries for a win on the ground where they have been triumphant on their last four visits.

Meanwhile, Scotland take a powerful A team into today's international against Italy in Rieti with a contrasting objective to their hosts.

For the Scots the game is all about preparing their side for the opening Five Nations match against Ireland at Lansdowne Road.

But for the Italians the emphasis remains on gaining further acceptance as a member of the topflight elite.

Scottish director of rugby, Jim Telfer, touched on the latter point at a news conference after training yesterday.

Italy have been getting better and better. A lot of folk back home just don't appreciate how good they are," he said.

Italy's recent results, bar a heavy defeat by New Zealand in October, illustrates the improvements made by the national side which, according to their manager, Giancarlo Barzanti, has benefitted psychologically from their good showing in the World Cup".

The Italians put up a great World Cup performance against England before losing 27-20, but defeated Argentina 31-25.

The Italians finished third in the Latin Cup played in Argentina in October, losing 22-34 to France and 26-6 to the host country before beating Romania 40-3.

Their most recent match was against South Africa in November when they lost 40-21 in Rome.

For the game against Scotland A, Italy will be captained for the first time by their experienced flanker Andreas Sgorlon, who will be playing opposite Scottish skipper Rob Wainwright.

"I reckon Wainwright is one of the best flankers in the world," said Sgorlon, and there is little question that Wainwright will want to confirm this by leading what is virtually a full-strength Scotland side to victory tomorrow.

"Pride demands that we play good rugby and win," said Wainwright, who is back in his optimum position at open-side flanker alongside reinstated Eric Peters at number eight and Stuart Reid at blind-side flanker in a recast back row.

The `A' label has given the Scots a chance to experiment in key positions, notably at standoff where Northampton star Gregor Townsend gets another chance to prove himself a better alternative to Melrose maestro Craig Chalmers.

"Gregor brings different skills to the stand-off berth. We will be looking at how our game can be played around him," said Scotland coach Ritchie Dixon, who will want to see the ball moved wide to wingers Craig Joiner and Ken Logan.

Despite Telfer's cautionary note that the management are "looking more long-term than the Italy match", Scotland desperately need a win to repair damaged morale after their poor showing against Western Samoa.

The senior match will be preceded by an under-21 international between the two countries.