Robinson promoted

Jason Robinson has clinched a place in England's 22 for the Six Nations Championship clash against Italy at Twickenham on Saturday.

The former Wigan and Great Britain rugby league star will be on the bench when England look to build on their emphatic 44-15 opening round victory over Wales

Robinson, who joined Sale from Wigan earlier this season, featured on the wing in the England A lineup that drew with their Wales counterparts 19-19 in Wrexham.

England manager Clive Woodward has promoted him to senior duties and there is every chance he will go on to win his first union cap.

Woodward has made one change from the Millennium Stadium starting line-up, Austin Healey taking over from injured wing Dan Luger, whom he replaced after barely six minutes. Saracens player Luger damaged his neck during the game and is now battling to be fit for the Test against Scotland on March 3rd.

Woodward said that if Luger had been fit then Robinson would have remained with the England A squad to face Italy on Friday.

Centre Mike Catt will win his 50th cap as Woodward, apart from Luger, retains the side that demolished Wales. There are changes on the bench though, with Robinson, Saracens scrumhalf Kyran Bracken and Wasps backrow forward Joe Worsley all called up.

There are no places in the 22 for Bath full-back Matt Perry or Saracens prop Julian White, who were both on bench duty in Cardiff.

Scotland's injury problems reached critical point yesterday with the withdrawal of hookers Rob Russell and Steve Brotherstone ahead of their clash against Wales at Murrayfield on Saturday.

Russell, of Saracens, had originally been promoted as back-up to Gordon Bulloch, the first choice hooker after Brotherstone's 11thhour decision to pull out of the squad to play against France in Paris a fortnight ago.

Brotherstone had responded well enough to treatment to be named on Monday in the Scotland A team to face Wales A in Edinburgh on Friday night.

Bulloch is now assured of his position in the starting line-up that coach Ian McGeechan will unveil tomorrow. Forwards coach Campbell said: "Russell has an on-going shoulder injury that has troubled him for some time. It was evident this week that while he could perform some skills, he was unable to throw consistently well.

"Brotherstone had hoped to play for Northampton last Saturday but decided he had not recovered sufficiently to play at the weekend."

ENGLAND (v Italy): I Balshaw (Bath); A Healey (Leicester), W Greenwood (Harlequins), M Catt (Bath), B Cohen (Northampton); J Wilkinson (Newcastle), M Dawson (Northampton); J Leonard (Harlequins), D West (Leicester), P Vickery (Gloucester), M Johnson (Leicester, capt), D Grewcock (Saracens), R Hill (Saracens), N Back (Leicester), L Dallaglio (Wasps). Replacements: M Regan (Bath), T Woodman (Gloucester), J Worsley (Wasps), M Corry (Leicester), K Bracken (Saracens), M Tindall (Bath), J Robinson (Sale).