England vs. Australia Investec Challenge Rugby Odds
4th November, 2009
England rugby union manager Martin Johnson has been forced to delay the announcement of the team that will play Australia on Saturday at Twickenham by 24 hours.
Johnson’s squad has been ravaged by injury as 11 out of the 32 players originally selected have been forced out. England’s former world cup winning captain was due to announce the final 22 players today however it has been put on hold while contingency plans are put into place.
The former Leicester Tigers player told BBC Sport. "Due to a number of players joining and leaving the squad over the last few days we have not reached a final decision on our 22.”
England’s injury list includes six players from the British and Irish Squad that competed against world champions South Africa over the summer. The absentees are Mike Tindall, Phil Vickery, Delon Armitage, Lee Mears, Andrew Sheridan, Nick Easter, Julian White, Olly Morgan, Harry Ellis, Toby Flood, Tom Rees, and Simon Shaw.
However Johnson does believe that England can beat their Australian rivals even with a patched up squad. The manager said it was good in some ways as it gives some young players the opportunity to demonstrate what they are capable of at international level. Johnson has also been boosted by the news that Johnny Wilkinson will be fit to play and he will provide a wealth of experience to the team.
"We are confident in the group we've got," said Johnson, "It's a good blend. With the challenges we've got this week, we can be very competitive."
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By Dane
