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Wilkinson will play - Andrew

Rugby Digest:  Rob Andrew is in no doubt Jonny Wilkinson will be fit to play in England's opening Six Nations Championship game…

Mon Jan 03 2005 - 00:00

Rugby Digest: Rob Andrew is in no doubt Jonny Wilkinson will be fit to play in England's opening Six Nations Championship game next month.

The Newcastle Director of Rugby backed his captain to be wearing the number 10 shirt when England take on Wales at the Millennium Stadium on February 5th after the Falcons skipper scored an injury-time try in yesterday's 30-29 English Premiership win over Sale at Kingston Park.

Wilkinson's 84th-minute try and conversion gave the Falcons the win and overshadowed a superb kicking display by Wilkinson's England understudy Charlie Hodgson who landed five penalties and converted two tries from Jason Robinson.

"Charlie Hodgson is a very, very good player. Jonny Wilkinson is a great player, it's as simple as that," said Andrew. "You can't expect him (Wilkinson) to simply pick up where he left off in the World Cup. We knew it would take him time to get back and we have eased him back into action.

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"I have always felt that the three matches against Sale, Perpignan and Newport would be sufficient preparation for Jonny to play against Wales on February 5th."

Elsewhere in the English Premiership yesterday Harlequins were beaten 27-15 by Wasps.

WOMEN: The final match in Ireland's build-up to the 2005 Six Nations Championship takes place this Sunday against England Academy at Templeville Road. There are no surprises in the starting line-up with all those who started against Japan in November retaining their positions.

The match kicks off at 2.30 p.m. on Sunday 9th January, at St Mary's RFC, Templeville Road, Dublin.

IRELANDTEAM: A Greensmith (Shannon); N Ní Chaidhan (Galwegians), S Fleming (Cooke), P Kelly (UL Bohemians), L Cantwell (UL Bohemians); S Belton (c) (UL Bohemians), T Rosser (Blackrock); F Coughlan (UL Bohemians), J Lonergan (Shannon), E Coen (UL Bohemians), R Foley (Shannon), J Leacy (Blackrock), R Tucker (UL Bohemians), R Boyd (Cooke), J Neville (Shannon). Replacements: M Coulter (Boyne), E Stanley (UL Bohemians), G Healy (Blackrock), O Brennan (Navan) L Beamish (UL Bohemians), J O'Sullivan (Lichfield), C Robb ( Armagh).

LIMERICK CHARITY CUP: Alan Purcell scored the winning try at Annacotty yesterday to put Garyowen into the final of the Limerick Charity Cup when they beat UL Bohemian 15-10.