Squad Profiles: England

ENGLAND MATCHDAY SQUAD (v Ireland, Twickenham, Saturday, March 15):

15: IAIN BALSHAW (GLOUCESTER RUGBY)

14.04.79, 6-0, 13-11
35th cap – 13 tries = 65 points
Debut: 2000 v Ireland
5th test v Ireland – no points
Missed 2007 World Cup through injuries, and played in only 2 of England’s 17 tests in 2007 v Italy in 2007 Six Nations and first South Africa test on 2007 summer tour
Back for 2008 Six Nations and has appeared in all games to date
Had earlier been recalled for the 2006 summer tour to Australia, playing both Tests at full-back, after missing 2006 Six Nations. Then played first two Tests in autumn 2006
2003 World Cup winner – played 3 games, scored 1 try v Samoa, 2 tries v Uruguay and came on as a replacement in the final
His first 5 tries were in the 2001 Six Nations – joint-second top scorer to Will Greenwood
Has appeared at full-back and centre and on the wing for England
All 3 Lions Tests 2001 (as a replacement) – missed 2005 tour through injury
Bath debut in 1998 with 13 tries in first full season. 2005 Powergen Cup medal in first season at Leeds, now in second season at Gloucester

14: PAUL SACKEY (LONDON WASPS)

08.11.79, 6-1, 14-4
15th cap – 7 tries = 35 points
Debut: 2006 v New Zealand
1st test v Ireland
6 tries in his last 9 Tests for England
Played in the last 6 games of the 2007 World Cup with 2 tries v both Samoa and Tonga, and Ireland 2008 is his 11th consecutive start for England
Into the team v New Zealand in 2006 after Mark Cueto withdrew with ankle injury, but missed 10 Tests himself in 2006/07 with a knee injury. Iriginally owed his new chance to David Strettle’s injury (broken foot in training) just before the 2007 World Cup
England tour to USA in 2001, England ‘A’ squad, and Elite squad in 2005/06
Withdrew from the 2006 Churchill Cup with a toe injury
One of a select group of players to score 50 tries in the Premiership. Was at the Wasps Academy and then returned to Wasps from Bedford and London Irish in 2005

13: JAMIE NOON (NEWCASTLE FALCONS)

09.05.79, 5-11, 13-8
31st cap – 6 tries = 30 points
Debut: 2001 v Canada
3rd Test v Ireland – 1 tries = 5 points (in 2006)
Only played 2 of the 10 Tests in 2007 before the World Cup, then had tournament cut short by knee ligament injury in his second game (v South Africa)
First Six Nations season in 2005, after missing 17 months of Test rugby. Played 18 Tests in England’s 19 matches (rested v Samoa in autumn 2005) from start of 2005 Six Nations to end of 2006 autumn series, and was a key player under former coach Andy Robinson
Played 3 Tests on North America tour in 2001, then two appearances in the 2003 World Cup warm-up games. From Newcastle Academy, Whitby and Goole, eighth season with the Falcons, and studied Sports Science at Northumbria University
Scored 3 tries in 2005 Calcutta Cup game, the third Englishman to achieve the feat after Cyril Lowe (1914), and John Carleton (1980)

12: TOBY FLOOD (NEWCASTLE FALCONS)

08.08.85, 6-2, 13-5
17th cap – 3 tries, 2 conversions, 5 penalty goals, 1 drop goal = 37 points
Debut: 2006 v Argentina
1st Test v Ireland
Test tries v France 2007, Wales 2008, Italy 2008
On as replacement in England’s three 2007 World Cup knock-out games, after replacing Noon who damaged his knee ligaments against South Africa
Joined the Falcons Academy from Alnwick and Morpeth clubs in 2003, made Falcons first team debut in February 2005 and improved with Falcons while Jonny Wilkinson recovered from his injuries
From the England Under-21 Grand Slam-winning side in 2006
Also studying at Northumbria University (Business Management)
Has played in 66 first team games for the Falcons

11: LESLEY VAINIKOLO (GLOUCESTER RUGBY)

04.05.79, 6-2, 17-10
5th cap – no pts
Debut: 2008 v Wales
1st Test v Ireland
On after 11 minutess for David Strettle v Wales to make debut, started rest of England’s 2008 Six Nations games to date
First season at Gloucester, previously played rugby league for Canberra Raiders from 1997 to 2002 and Bradford Bulls from 2002 to 2007
Scored 149 tries in 152 games for Bulls
Born in Tonga, rugby league international for New Zealand (14 caps, 12 tries) after growing up in Auckland and playing rugby union, switching to rugby league aged 11
Could have played rugby union for Tonga (birth), NZ (parents) or England (residence)
4th Bradford Bulls player to join Gloucester
11 games to date for Gloucester, scoring 9 tries. he scored 5 tries on debut v Leeds – but sadly lost his brother in December (heart attack) and father in January (organ failure), either side of Christmas

10: DANNY CIPRIANI (LONDON WASPS)

02.11.87, 6-0, 14-0
3rd cap – no pts
Debut: 2008 v Wales
1st Test v Ireland (1st Test start)
Replaces Jonny Wilkinson for 1st Test start after being disciplined v Scotland
Would have been 9th England full-back in the Brian Ashton era since January 2007 (Morgan, Balshaw, Lewsey, Cueto, Brown, Tait, Abendanon, Robinson and Cipriani) had he played in the 2008 Calcutta Cup match
Played full-back for Wasps in their 2007 Heineken Cup final win and played first 8 games for club at full-back this season, before reverting to out-half
Progression after being with England at Under-19, Under-21 and Saxons levels and was a member of the World Cup training squad
From Roehampton, educated at Wimbledon College prep school, Oratory (Reading) and Whitgift, played at Rosslyn Park (10 to 15-years-old), venue for the famous schools Sevens tournament, and joined the Wasps Academy in the summer of 2006
Useful footballer on QPR youth books and joined the club’s academy. Mother drove a London black cab

9: RICHARD WIGGLESWORTH (SALE SHARKS)

09.06.83, 5-9, 13-7
4th cap – 1 try = 5 points
Debut: 2008 v Italy
1st Test v Ireland
On bench v Wales 2008, then a replacement v Italy, then start v France with clinching try
Progression after being with England at Under-19, Under-21 and Saxons levels and was part of the 2007 World Cup training squad
Peter Richards withdrew from Six Nations with bicep injury and Shaun Perry is also injured, while Harry Ellis has long term knee ligament damage
Joined the Sharks in 2002, early rugby at Fylde, and attended Kirkham GS (as did Pat Sanderson, the former England captain). Family have a farm with a 9-hole golf course on it
Sharks debut v Bourgoin in 2002 – Bryan Redpath and Sililo Martens were ahead of him at the time
Accomplished goal kicker

1: ANDREW SHERIDAN (SALE SHARKS)

01.11.79, 6-5, 18-10
24th cap – no points
Debut: 2004 v Canada
2nd Test v Ireland – no points
Missed Italy 2008 game with infected cut on right heel/Achilles, returned v France
Outstanding run in 2007 World Cup, started all 7 games along with Ben Kay
Had played only 4 matches of England’s last 16 internationals before the 2007 World Cup after injuries
With the Lions in New Zealand in 2005, but fractured fibula before the Test matches
6th season as prop, after converting from lock at Bristol under New Zealand coach Peter Thorburn
Toured South Africa with England in 2000, England XV v New Zealand Barbarians in 2003, also played in Churchill Cup games. England squad for 2004 autumn Tests, making debut in opener v Canada
Joined Sale in June 2003 from relegated Bristol
Played for England also at Under-21 level and in the England National Academy

2: LEE MEARS (BATH RUGBY)

05.03.79, 5-9, 15-10
23rd cap – no points
Debut: 2005 v Samoa
3rd Test v Ireland – no points
18 of his first 22 caps to date have been as a replacement
5th Test start, 2nd Test start v Ireland
Just one game behind Regan and Chuter at the 2007 World Cup – replacement v Tonga
Premiership record number of games as a replacement also (58)
Played in the 2005 Churchill Cup final win, and then elevated to full squad for the 2005 autumn Tests
Devonian, who joined Bath in 1997, from Colston’s, Bristol, and formerly with hometown Torquay Athletic (as was former England lock and coach Mike Davis)
England Schools and Sevens, he took over hooking role at Bath from former Wales captain Jonathan Humphreys
Also formerly understudy to Federico Mendez (Argentina) and Mark Regan (England) at Bath

3: PHIL VICKERY (LONDON WASPS) (capt)

14.03.76, 6-3, 18-4
64th cap – 2 tries = 10 points
Debut: 1998 v Wales
5th Test v Ireland – no pts
With Wilkinson dropped, he is the only member of this starting XV v Ireland 2008 to have started the 2003 World Cup final (Iain Balshaw was a replacement)
Won 11th England captaincy in the 2007 World Cup final, 15th captaincy v Ireland 2008. 5 games at the recent World Cup – missed 2 pool games (South Africa and Samoa) through suspension
2003 World Cup – one of 6 Englishmen to play all 7 games and scored his first Test try v Samoa during the tournament. Was England captain against Uruguay
Had 2 previous England captaincies before getting the job from 2007 Calcutta Cup (Argentina 2002 and Uruguay 2003 World Cup). Was England’s 5th captain inside 10 Tests back in 2002 (Bracken, Dawson, Back, Johnson and Vickery)
England tries v Samoa at the 2003 World Cup (in 34th international) and South Africa in autumn 2006
Had eye socket, arm, and a third back operation, but moved in summer 2006 from Gloucester to Wasps on a three-year contract and now fit again
Made Test debut after just 34 Gloucester club games and 81 days after England ‘A’ debut. 11 seasons at Gloucester, ex-Bude and Redruth
Played in all 3 Lions Tests in 2001

4: SIMON SHAW (LONDON WASPS) 

01.01.73, 6-9, 19-1
48th cap – 2 tries = 10 points
Debut: 1996 v Italy
5th Test v Ireland – no points
Recovered from ankle tissue injury v Munster a fortnight before Wales 2008 Six Nations match, and has started all 2008 tests to date
Started six of England’s 2007 World Cup games, rested v Tonga
Before recall for 2007 summer series, he was last capped by England in Ireland’s win at Twickenham in 2006 – like Borthwick he had missed 13 tests
Member of the 2003 World Cup squad – late call-up for Danny Grewcock (broken hand v Uruguay) but did not play in finals. Had previously just missed selection for the 1995 and 1999 World Cups
2004 and 2007 Heineken Cup winners’ medals. 2003, 2004, and 2005 Premiership medals, and 3 Powergen Cup medals
2004 Premiership Player of Year
First team debut for Bristol v Wasps at the age of 17, then joined Wasps in 1997 and has played for England at all levels. Has overcome career threatening back and ankle problems
1997 Lions tourist
Both Test tries in same game v Canada in 2001

5: STEVE BORTHWICK (BATH RUGBY)

12.10.79, 6-6, 17-7
37th cap – 2 tries = 10 points
Debut: 2001 v France
3rd Test v Ireland – 1 try = 5 points (in 2006)
England captain in 23-19 win over Italy (2008), has captained club and England ‘A’
3 games at the 2007 World Cup, started v Tonga
Recalled for 2005 autumn Tests after injury to Alex Brown, he then played 10 successive Tests through to Ireland 2006 loss at Twickenham and like Shaw was dropped – missed 13 tests – recalled v Wales in August 2007 (62-5) and went on to play at the World Cup
World Cup beneficiary of the Danny Grewcock ban – punched Thibault Privat in 2007 European Challenge Cup final, suspended until September 15
Not in 2003 World Cup squad, Simon Shaw replaced injured Grewcock
Frequently England ‘A’ captain, joined Bath in 1998, as a Bath University student, from Preston Grasshoppers (10th season at Bath and over 220 games). Now has degree in Economics and Politics
Impressed on England’s 2000 tour to South Africa, then capped from 2001
Bath captain since 2005, leaves for Saracens in summer 2008

6: TOM CROFT (LEICESTER TIGERS)

07.11.85, 6-5, 16-12
3rd cap – no pts
Debut: 2008 v France
1st Test v Ireland
Debut at Stade de France for James Haskell (ankle ligaments) after 22 minutes, kept place for Calcutta Cup loss to Scotland
Has played for England Under-18s, Under-19s, Under-21s and England Saxons – scored winning try v New Zealand Maori in 2007 Churchill Cup final win
Tigers debut in November 2005 just after 20th birthday, after spending 5 seasons with Newbury RFC at the start of his career
Member of the 2006 England Under-21 Grand Slam-winning team
Try in 2007 EDF final and a 2007 Premiership medal winner

7: MICHAEL LIPMAN (BATH RUGBY)

16.01.80, 6-2, 15-3
7th cap – no pts
Debut: 2004 v NZ
1st Test v Ireland – 4th successive Test start
First capped v New Zealand and Australia in summer 2004, then started v Australia in summer 2006. First Six Nations game v Italy 2008
Returned to squad after injuries to Tom Rees (left knee medial ligaments) and Lewis Moody (Achilles) v Wales 2008
Has been a regular member of recent England Saxons squads
Approaching 100 games for Bath since 2003, when he joined from rivals Bristol, for whom he played from 2001 to 2003
Brought up in Australia and played for NSW Waratahs and Australia Under-21s
Has endured several injuries – fractured cheekbone, broken leg, ruptured ankle tendon, etc.

8: NICK EASTER (NEC HARLEQUINS)

15.08.78, 6-4, 18-2
16th cap – 4 tries = 20 points
Debut: 2007 v Italy
1st Test v Ireland
RBS man-of-the-match v France 2008, had returned v Italy after knee injury and had missed Wales 2008
Started the last 6 games at the 2007 World Cup including the final
4 tries v Wales in August 2007 – it was the first time an England number 8 has scored four tries in a game – and he was the first England forward to score 4 tries in a game since Neil Back in 1998 v Holland
Into the team v Italy 2007 as flanker after Joe Worsley suffered a neck injury against Scotland. Played well on the losing tour to South Africa in summer 2007
Recommended to ‘Quins in the summer of 2004 from Orrell, made senior debut v Worcester Warriors. Now has contract to 2009. His director of rugby at ‘Quins is former England number 8 Dean Richards
‘Quins’ Player of the Year in all seasons with the club, and scored 19 tries in 2005/06 as the club won National League 1
Has scored 26 tries in 92 senior games for ‘Quins to date
Played in South Africa for the Villagers club in Cape Town, after leaving Dulwich College, before joining Orrell in 2001 for 3 seasons until 2004, so is a late developer

REPLACEMENTS:

16: GEORGE CHUTER (LEICESTER TIGERS)

09.07.76, 5-11, 15-12
21st cap (if he plays) – 1 try = 5 points
Debut: 2006 v Australia
2nd Test v Ireland – no points
Played all 7 games at the 2007 World Cup – 2 starts, a replacement in the final
First capped on the 2006 summer tour to Australia – played 19 of England’s next 23 Tests up to the World Cup final. Recall for 2008 Calcutta Cup match for Mark Regan
Test try v Australia 2006 (2nd Test)
Had played for England ‘A’ since 1998, and was a 1998 England tourist to Australia and New Zealand
Joined Leicester in March 2001 and has passed his 100th first team game. 2007 Premiership and EDF Cup double win
Originally played in the amateur days with Old Mid Whitgiftians and the West London Institute, and joined Saracens aged 19, winning the 1998 Pilkington Cup

17: MATT STEVENS (BATH RUGBY)

01.10.82, 6-0, 19-3
26th cap (if he plays) – no points
Debut: 2004 v New Zealand
2nd Test v Ireland – no points
Started v Italy 2008 after Phil Vickery withdrew (calf injury/stomach ailment)
Played in all 7 games at the 2007 World Cup – starting the last 3 pool games in place of the suspended Vickery, and all games in the 2008 Six Nations to date
Returned for 2nd Test v South Africa in summer 2007 after being called up from holiday – had missed 13 Tests and been a reality TV singer in Celebrity X-Factor
2005 Lion – six games on tour
England XV v New Zealand Barbarians in December 2003 then into full squad on 2004 summer tour to Australasia
Joined Bath in September 2002 after playing for South Africa at Under-18 and Under-19 levels, and played for Western Province and South Africa Universities
Born in Durban but holds a British passport

18: BEN KAY (LEICESTER TIGERS)

14.12.75, 6-6, 18-8
58th cap (if he plays) – 2 tries = 10 points
Debut: 2001 v Canada
5th Test v Ireland – 1 try = 5 points (in 2002)
2007 World Cup – started all 7 games along with Andrew Sheridan
2003 World Cup winner – 6 games, all starts, rested for Uruguay, and dropped pass near line in final v Australia
Started every game in 2002, 2003, 2004 and 2005 Six Nations, but then missed all of the 2005/06 season internationals until recall in 2nd Test of 2006 summer tour
Back into the 2007 World Cup squad after 2 years of being in-and-out of the squad after Tigers Premiership and EDF Cup wins
England ‘A’ from 2000, was captain in 2001/02 then promoted to full honours
Joined Leicester in 1999 from Waterloo, where he played 69 Premiership games. Heineken Cup wins in 2001 and 2002 with Leicester colleagues
Was with the Lions in New Zealand in 2005

19: JAMES HASKELL (LONDON WASPS)

02.04.85, 6-3, 17-6
6th cap (if he plays) – no points
Debut: 2007 v Wales
1st Test v Ireland
Returns after ankle ligament damage v France, missed Calcutta Cup loss to Scotland
Not in the 2007 World Cup squad
Formed an all-Wasps back row against Wales in 2007 with Tom Rees and Joe Worsley
Played for England at Under-18, Under-19 and Under-21 levels, won Under-21 Grand Slam in 2006
Was part of the Churchill Cup-winning side in 2007
England XV v Barbarians in May 2006, and last season he played for England Sevens at Dubai and George, and for England Saxons in wins v Italy and Ireland in February 2007
Educated at Wellington College, Wasps debut v ‘Quins aged 18

20: PAUL HODGSON (LONDON IRISH)

25.04.82, 5-8, 12-2
First cap (if he plays)
Remained on replacements bench on squad debut v France then Scotland 2008
Fine game in 22-13 defeat of Leicester Tigers in February to boost selection chances for French game
England Under-18, Under-21, Sevens and Saxons
Born at Epsom, had 13 years from mini-rugby with Sutton & Epsom, joined Wasps in 2001 and ‘Irish in 2004 after a spell with Bristol
Over 100 senior games – 87 with London Irish

21: JONNY WILKINSON (NEWCASTLE FALCONS)

25.05.79, 5-10, 13-3
70th cap (if he plays) – 6 tries, 144 conversions, 209 penalty goals, 29 drop goals = 1032 points (also 67 points for the Lions)
Debut: 1998 v Ireland
8th Test v Ireland since debut 10 years ago – 1 try (2002), 15 conversions, 15 penalty goals, 2 drop goals = 86 points
World record – he has 1032 points for England and 67 for Lions for 1099 international points, beating Neil Jenkins (Wales) with 1049 points for Wales and 41 for Lions for 1090 international points
World record – all-time drop goal record with 29 drop goals – former world record holder Hugo Porta on 28 drop goals (26 for Argentina and 2 for South America)
Six Nations record – 479 points ongoing
Returned for 2007 Calcutta Cup (27 points) after missing 30 Tests (England won 12 and lost 18) since previous game at 2003 World Cup final, 1,169 days previously
Captain of England v Italy 2003 and South Africa 2007. Home international record, 35 points v Italy 2001
Also has World Cup all-time record of 249 points
And passed 2000 points for the Falcons in January 2008
Test debut v Ireland aged 18 years and 314 days – replacement for Mike Catt. England won 43 of 52 games when he played between 1998 and 2003.
Championship record 89 points in the 2001 Six Nations. Top again in 2003 with 77 points

22: MATHEW TAIT (NEWCASTLE FALCONS)

06.02.86, 5-11, 13-8
23rd cap (if he plays) – 2 tries = 10 points
Debut: 2005 v Wales
2nd Test v Ireland – no points
Youngest member of England’s 2007 World Cup squad, played in all 7 games, scored try v Tonga and impressed in the final
Played the first half of the Wales game in 2005, then left out until he started both Tests against Australia on 2006 summer tour, and has now played in 21 of England’s last 27 games – and also combines with studying for his medical degree
1st Test at full-back v Wales 2007 in 62-5 win and first Test try. 2nd Test try v Tonga at the recent World Cup
Had re-found skills for club and for England ‘A’ and Sevens. Silver medal at the 2006 Commonwealth Games
Turned 19 years of age the day after the Wales 2005 game and was the 14th player aged 18 to play for England. Hammered by the famous Gavin Henson tackle
Was at school until 2004, and was invited to Newcastle Academy by director Peter Walton, an ex-Scotland back rower. Has played 60 times for the Falcons (19 tries)
At Barnard Castle School, as were the Underwood brothers (Rory and Tony) and Rob Andrew
England at Under-16, Under-18 and Under-19 levels. Scored try on Newcastle debut v London Irish in May 2004

COACH – BRIAN ASHTON

03.09.46
Succeeded Andy Robinson on December 21, 2006
Coach at Bath from 1989 and won 4 League and Cup doubles from 1991 to 1996. Took the Ireland job (1996 to 1998) before returning as England assistant coach in 1998
In 2002, he moved to the National Academy until 2005, when he returned to Bath from January to May 2006. Was England attack coach from May to December 2006, when he took the England post
Former scrum half for Fylde, Orrell, Montferrand (Clermont Auvergne), Roma, Milan and Lancashire. Played for North of England and was in the full England squad in 1975