NEARLY 17 months after declaring that he would play international rugby no more, Lawrence Dallaglio returns to an England squad. There is still a step to be taken if he is to add to the 73 appearances he made between 1995 and 2004, but the knowledge that he is so close to his goal will provide an extra spur.
Dallaglio, 33, will not be content to be a role model within the squad of 36 named yesterday by Andy Robinson, the head coach, to contest the 2006 RBS Six Nations Championship. But if he is to pull on the white jersey again, it must either be alongside Martin Corry, confirmed by Robinson as captain, or as a replacement in case Corry is injured.
It will be a surprise if Dallaglio is named in the back row to play Wales at Twickenham on February 4. He has played international rugby on both flanks, but at this late stage in his career, No 8 is his role and that is also the position occupied by Corry. Form suggests that Joe Worsley and Pat Sanderson will start as the flankers because Lewis Moody, although included, will have played no rugby for nine weeks through suspension.
That would leave Magnus Lund, the newcomer to the squad, in pole position for a first cap, should Sanderson’s comeback from a back injury falter. “It’s up to all of us now to make sure that England go out and play as well as we can and I’m looking forward to competing for a place in the team,” Dallaglio said, with an echo of the reasons for which he withdrew his labour in the first place.
He was disillusioned by England’s 2004 summer tour to Australasia when he queried the commitment of some players and coaches and his private life was under strain. The frustration he felt that his England career should have ended in heavy defeats by New Zealand (twice) and Australia played a part in his resolve to challenge for a place on last year’s Lions tour to New Zealand. When that ended abruptly in injury, his determination to challenge for more caps grew even stronger.
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“It’s great to be able to include Lawrence,” Robinson said. “He has done well for London Wasps and his appetite to play again for England is huge. However, he knows that the back row is a massively competitive area and he will need to work hard to be selected.”
It is a blow for Robinson, though, that Phil Vickery cannot be included. The Gloucester tight-head prop, so prone to injury throughout his eight years with England, has been slowly returning to his best form, but his back has let him down. He suffered the recurrence of a disc injury after the recent Guinness Premiership match against Saracens and will not be considered against Wales, nor do his club know when he will be available again.
This has paved the way for an immediate return by Julian White to the squad, who will gather at Loughborough University from January 22 to 24. Robinson is conscious that he may lose some when Bath (five nominees) go head to head with Wasps (eight) and Leicester (eight) play Sale Sharks (five) on January 28. The head coach accepts, reluctantly, that the differences between the Premiership clubs and the RFU will not permit the release of his players that weekend and he can expect some wastage.
His choice differs little from the 30 players named in October for the three autumn internationals, from which only Vickery and his Gloucester colleague, Andrew Hazell, have withdrawn through injury — Hazell is recovering from concussion — while Ollie Smith, of Leicester, retreats to the A squad for the match against Italy in Colleferro on February 3.
Neither Jonny Wilkinson, who is not included in Newcastle Falcons’ squad of 24 for this weekend’s European Challenge Cup match away to Brive, nor Andrew Farrell could be considered, but a further 20 players named in an England A squad extends the Wasps contribution to 11 and offers Shane Drahm the chance of representative honours. The Worcester fly half is Australian but qualifies by residence.