The uncapped Leicester outhalf Andy Goode has been called in to an expanded 30-man English squad in preparation for their meeting with Ireland in the RBS Six Nations Championship at Lansdowne Road on Sunday week.
However, while Goode's call-up hardly constitutes a ringing endorsement of the under-siege incumbent, Charlie Hodgson, it is unlikely coach Andy Robinson will propel the Leicester outhalf into the starting line-up.
The 24-year-old Goode has surprised some of his doubters with an impressively reliable run of form for the Tigers, most notably in their seismic battles against Wasps in the European Cup, and also performed impressively for the English A side in their win over their French counterparts last week.
His call-up will give rise to speculation that he might replace Hodgson in the starting line-up in Dublin, particularly as it could mean he would partner his club team-mate Harry Ellis.
"Andy has been knocking on the England door recently with his good form for Leicester and I felt he impressed last week in his A game performance," said Robinson yesterday. "So he earns his selection to the squad for what will be a massively important game against Ireland."
Whether Goode starts is another matter entirely. More likely, Robinson is giving Goode a sign of recognition for his form this season and also giving the incumbents, Hodgson and Olly Barkley (nominally the reserve outhalf as well as the starting inside centre), a reminder that their places aren't cast in stone. It could be a risky ploy, bearing in mind Hodgson's brittle temperament.
Of more significance, perhaps, is that their renowned tight-head scrummager, Julian White, has not recovered from the neck injury he sustained in the Welsh game.
It gives Robinson little room for manoeuvre.
Rob Andrew, highly critical of Robinson's controversial decision to withdraw Henry Paul after 25 minutes of the defeat to Australia last November, and never shy to fire a broadside in the direction of the English coaching hierarchy, has also lambasted Robinson for his treatment of the 19-year-old Newcastle centre Mathew Tait.
Tait was picked for his debut against Wales in the Six Nations opener in Cardiff and then dropped from the 22 on duty in the defeat to France. "It was poorly handled, it was wrong and it's damaging for Mathew, there is no doubt about that," former England outhalf Andrew was quoted as saying by the BBC.
"I don't think we should underestimate how hard it will be for him, or how badly he was treated. The damage has been done, we've got to rebuild him and get him going again," the Newcastle director of rugby said after including Tait in his team for Newcastle's league match against Leicester, adding, somewhat over-statedly: "He's going to just have to go in the deep end again and this is about as deep as it gets."
In a similar move to Robinson and, as is his normal custom, Eddie O'Sullivan has called up 11 players to rejoin the squad of 22 who were on duty in Edinburgh, including Brian O'Driscoll and Gordon D'Arcy. The remainder include four Ulster players, Simon Best, Gary Longwell, Tommy Bowe and the uncapped Kieran Campbell, as well as the Munster back row duo of Alan Quinlan and Denis Leamy and their teammates Anthony Horgan and Shaun Payne, along with Connacht's Bernard Jackman. The starting XV and replacements will be announced next Wednesday.
ENGLAND SQUAD: Backs: Jason Robinson (captain), Mark Cueto, Josh Lewsey, Ben Cohen, Mathew Tait, Jamie Noon, Ollie Smith, Henry Paul, Olly Barkley, Charlie Hodgson, Matt Dawson, Andy Gomarsall, Harry Ellis, Andy Goode.
Forwards: Graham Rowntree, Andy Sheridan, Phil Vickery, Steve Thompson, Andy Titterrell, George Chuter, Danny Grewcock, Simon Shaw, Steve Borthwick, Ben Kay, Lewis Moody, Andy Hazell, Joe Worsley, Chris Jones, Matt Stevens, Martin Corry.
IRELAND SQUAD (v England): The following 11 players will rejoin the squad of 22 which faced Scotland: Forwards: Simon Best (Ulster, Belfast Harlequins), Bernard Jackman (Connacht, Clontarf), Alan Quinlan (Munster, Shannon), Denis Leamy (Munster, Cork Constitution), Gary Longwell (Ulster, Ballymena).
Backs: Tommy Bowe (Ulster, Belfast Harlequins), Kieran Campbell (Ulster, Dungannon), Gordon D'Arcy (Leinster, Lansdowne), Anthony Horgan (Munster, Cork Constitution), Brian O'Driscoll (Leinster, Blackrock College), Shaun Payne (Munster, Dolphin).
