Johnson gives Doran-Jones shock call-up

Desperate times call for desperate measures and England boss Martin Johnson's decision to call on Gloucester prop Paul Doran-Jones for Saturday's Test against Argentina looks exactly that.

England lacked spark, particularly in the second half, against Australia and Johnson has gone for broke by calling up prop Doran-Jones.

Last season, he was not even deemed good enough for the Guinness Premiership, languishing with London Welsh, and he has yet to even play a full 80 minutes since moving to Gloucester this season.

In fact, Doran-Jones has just 266 minutes of top-flight rugby under his belt, which highlights Johnson's bottom-of-the-barrel-scraping plight.

England should defeat the Pumas this weekend despite the fact they are two places below them as the world's eighth-ranked side. Johnson has picked a brutish pack in the hope of silencing Argentina's notoriously tough forward line-up, with the steady hands of Paul Hodgson rather than Danny Care offering back-up at scrum-half. James Haskell gets a deserved recall while Johnson has, Hodgson apart, stuck to the same backline that failed to cross the Wallabies try line.

The former England skipper knows that should his team fail to win on Saturday, his job will be on the line with. A hat-trick of November defeats would be seemingly inevitable with New Zealand up next.

What do you make of England's side to face Argentina? Do they have any hope of winning? Post your comments below...

Comments

[Brian Wylie]

I watched England v Argentina. I have not seen such a bad display from England for years. At best Argentina are a second rate rugby country yet they were allowed to run the game. England used to be famed for their forwards. Yesterday they were pushed out of the way bey the Argentinians and the rest of the team showed almost no imagination. It is irrelevant who manages the team, the players are just not good enough.

[Stuart Roche]

I heartily predict that England will be back firing on all cylinders in an hour's time. Maybe I'm being too patriotic but there were elements to suggest that things are turning the corner against the Australians at Twickers. Please, please, please try to keep it together boys.

[ButrosButros]

England 23-12 Argentina before getting whooped by the Kiwis in a week

[Perry]

wasn't doranjones involved in a naughty video with haskell back in the day?!

[Frankie K]

This is the best possible team available but raises the bigger question of injuries in the game. There are about 200 players out in Premiership squads at the moment and that's pretty darn scary but how do you stop that. The bodies will only get bigger and also the hits but maybe the amount of game time needs to be cut into to save careers.

[yem]

We will lose to Argentina. They will be too strong for our thin-skinned team.

[TaffRugby]

Whoever he selects won't matter. England might sneak Argentina but no hope against New Zealand.

[Big Vern]

The hOdgson decision makes no sense. danny care is clearly the future at scrumhalf so why not stick with him. hodgson is in the dewi morris mould and aint no match winner. Glad to see the wilko geraghty mixture getting another gold. feel sure that one will work out for england. lets hope that argies dont have a nasty surprise up their sleeves.

[Douglas]

Don't give Johnson a hard time about Doran-Jones. He must be about the only other fit prop that qualifies for England right now.