England v New Zealand preview

New Zealand's rugby team are either very good actors or genuinely believe Jonny Wilkinson can lead an England backlash on Saturday.

The All Blacks fear England could finally come good at Twickenham through Wilkinson after the team's average displays against Australia and Argentina, but there's nothing to suggest that in Martin Johnson's tweaked line-up for Saturday's showdown.

Despite his physicality, centre Ayoola Erinle will hardly strike fear into the visitors. After all, this is a player who failed to force his way into the starting line-ups of Wasps and Leicester before making his move to France.

The other returning names to the starting line-up are Joe Worsley and Simon Shaw, for what seems like his umpteenth recall. On top of that, Ugo Monye is rightly removed of full-back duties after a woeful display against Argentina but amazingly keeps his place in the starting XV on the wing.

England will lose to New Zealand on Saturday, that much seems certain, but they desperately need to put on a show as a team to guarantee the futures of their under-fire backroom staff. Another dire display could sound the end for the likes of John Wells and Brian Smith, and even Martin Johnson.

Do England have any chance of beating New Zealand, and what do you make of their line-up to face the All Blacks? Post your comments below...

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...

Wilkinson back for England

Former England golden boy Jonny Wilkinson is back and will make an international return for the first time in 18 months against Australia at Twickenham on Saturday.

All eyes will be on Wilko, who has been back to his best since a move across the Channel to Toulon, as one of the few truly experienced heads in England's line-up.

The irony is that the injury-prone Wilkinson is one of the few players actually fit for selection. In all, 27 players are unavailable to Martin Johnson through injury as 11 of the initial 32-man squad had to pull out in the last few days with differing ailments.

England's No.10 might not be able to lead his side to victory over the Wallabies on his own but he will give it a damn good try. His kicking prowess will certainly keep them in the hunt if the visitors concede any penalties in kicking range and they'll be all too aware of their nemesis' abilities from the last two World Cups.

So, the majority of England's squad might be wrapped in bandages but Wilko is back, along with hooker Steve Thompson who returns from virtual retirement.

One can only hope that means a return to bigger and better things for England. The reality, though, is that England - now ranked only seventh in the world - will come unstuck against Australia, who boast a far more formidable line-up even without their own Wilkinson.

What do you make of Wilkinson's recall and can he recapture his best form and inspire an England win over Australia? Post your comments below...

Gatland slams the Premiership

Wales coach Warren Gatland has slammed the Guinness Premiership, saying the standard of rugby simply is not high enough.

The outspoken Gatland said: "The Premiership, having watched the games, is the weakest Premiership I have seen since I have been up here. It is the weakest in terms of quality of the teams involved."

No doubt Premiership bosses up and down the land have taken offence to Gatland's comments but the simple fact is that he is telling the truth.

The season has been a poor one so far and the league has been dominated by a team, Saracens, that prides itself on a kicking game rather than any real attacking flair. Sides like Bath, Gloucester, Harlequins and Sale have been, at times, woeful. If anything, the game has gone back to the dull, dark ages.

The state of affairs is also worrying for England boss Martin Johnson ahead of a trio of arduous Tests against Argentina, Australia and New Zealand. Looking at his squad, he doesn't appear to have the players at his disposal to match any of those three foes. Worrying times indeed for England and its domestic set-up.

Is Gatland right in his comments about the Premiership or is it just gamesmanship by the Wales coach? And is this bad news for England? Post your comments below...

From the Touchlines: Injury crisis for England

Barely a day goes by without news of a latest injury setback for England boss Martin Johnson and it would not be an overexaggeration to now call it a crisis.

The latest big name to be added to the list of casualties is prop Phil Vickery, who faces at least three months on the sidelines as he undergoes neck surgery yet again.

That announcement leaves Johnson without a potential first-team front row with hooker Lee Mears and prop Andrew Sheridan already having been ruled out of the November internationals against Australia, Argentina and New Zealand with injury problems of their own.

Others who will be missing in action include full-back Delon Armitage, centres Riki Flutey and Toby Flood, flanker Tom Rees and also Danny Cipriani, who had been tipped for a recall following his return to form this season.

Should any more fall beside the wayside then Johnson will be fielding an almost fully second-string side against two of the best sides in the world next month. It also throws up the question whether the rigours of the modern game are now just too much, a fear recently raised by player chiefs concerned at the growing number of injuries.

Can anything be done to stop the growing injury list in rugby? And who should make the England side for the November internationals following their injury crisis? Post your comments below...

Is rugby getting dirty?

Barely a weekend of matches goes by without an investigation being launched into stamping, eye gouging, or pretty much any indiscretion.

Gloucester forward Olivier Azam was perhaps the most notable, picking up a 12-week ban for the stamp on Steve Borthwick's eye that left the England captain fearing for his sight.

Then there was the six-week ban, later reduced to five, for Ireland international prop John Hayes for a stamp of his own, while Leinster's Shane Jennings is in the dock accused of eye gouging.

But does this seemingly never-ending list of indiscretions mean that rugby is getting dirtier than ever before? Quite possibly, but more likely the authorities are cracking down on the sort of incidents to which a blind eye might well have been turned in the past.

So expect the post-match investigations and bans to continue to come thick and fast as rugby, which so often in the past prided itself on its dark arts, tries to clean up its act.

Is rugby union a dirty sport and getting dirtier? And should players be given more freedom? Post your comments below.

Heineken Cup preview

Rugby's premier domestic competition kicks off on Friday night with Ulster, the 1998-9 champions, taking on Bath in the first game of the 15th Heineken Cup, which looks more wide open than ever.

Defending champions Leinster have once again been in prolific form and will be among those setting the standard, although they face a potential surprise pick in Europe this season, London Irish.

The Exiles combine the perfect blend of rugby. Their resolute forwards do the technical basics perfectly while coach Toby Booth has introduced a running brand of rugby that will worry the likes of Brian O'Driscoll and his Leinster side.

Leicester and Clermont Auvergne should be strong, but are arguably in the pool of death with the Ospreys, meaning as many as two of those big names could bow out before the knock-out stages. The Ospreys are desperately keen to be the first Welsh winners after arch-rivals Cardiff went so close last year.

London Irish are far from favourites - the bookies currently have them some way down in ninth behind top tip Munster - but don't be surprised to see them spring a surprise.

Who's your tip to win this year's Heineken Cup - do you agree that London Irish could bag a shock victory? Post your comments...

From the touchlines: Rugby cleared of widespread cheats

Rugby does not have a problem with cheating, according to the Rugby Football Union.

In the wake of 'Bloodgate' and the drug scandals at Bath, a task group was set up by the RFU to investigate whether cheating was rife in the game and their conclusion was a simple "no".

On the surface, this looks good news for the game. Rumours of fake blood having been used in Test matches by England in the past turned out to be false, much to the relief of the RFU director of elite rugby Rob Andrew.

But worryingly for the RFU - who had promised players, coaches and medical staff complete anonymity irrespective of they said - just 23% of the people that were asked to take part in the investigation actually replied.

And the suggestion is that those with something to hide opted to keep quiet, if 'Bloodgate' architect Dean Richards is to be believed. Richards spoke at Wednesday's hearing and insists that his fake blood policy is nothing new in the sport.

The RFU can at least come away showing that they are doing something to clean up the game or at least keep it clean. How they continue that quest is perhaps more telling.

Do you agree with the RFU that rugby is not rife with cheats and have they done enough to clean up the sport? Post your comments below...

England must team up Cipriani and Wilkinson

Danny Cipriani's return to form has transformed Wasps from last season's mid-table strugglers to this season's Guinness Premiership leaders. And likewise across the Channel, Toulon have turned from relegation fodder to world beaters since Jonny Wilkinson's arrival.

Arguably the most creative England players of their generation are back to their best, both proving prolific with the boot and in launching wave upon wave of attacks, as well as being immense in defence.

Wilkinson has always had a strong defensive record but, now clear of his injury problems, he is going into challenges as hard as ever while Cipriani, who was told he needed to improve his defence, has done just that, most notably in Sunday's 23-3 win over Worcester.

England boss Martin Johnson must rely on the dynamic duo for the November internationals against Australia, Argentina and New Zealand.

Cipriani deserves the No.10 slot where he can be at his creative best, while Wilkinson can be the more experienced foil at No.12, adding vital leadership and additional defence should his midfield sidekick let him down. Johnson has said he will always select on form, so Cipriani and Wilkinson deserve their chance.

Have Cipriani and Wilkinson done enough to earn call-ups to the England starting XV or should Martin Johnon pick another pairing? Post your comments below...

Why Foden is worth a gamble

Martin Johnson has some big calls to make ahead of the autumn Tests now that Riki Flutey and Delon Armitage are likely to be ruled out through injury.

Olly Morgan, back for Gloucester after injury, must be among the favourites to take the full-back slot, but Johnno would do well to gamble on the versatile Ben Foden.

His attacking flair was evident when he played on the wing for England against the Barbarians in May, scoring a try and looking the part at international level.

Matthew Tait might be a safer choice, but Foden could be the man to give England a fresh attacking spark.

As for Flutey's replacement at centre, surely Shane Geraghty is the man. He's been in good form so far this season and can also play at 10.

Jonny Wilkinson can't be ruled out of the equation, with some calling for him to play at centre and Geraghty at fly-half. And Quins' Jordan Turner-Hall must also be in the running.

Johnson in the past has tended towards caution in his team selections, but he might just be tempted this time round to gamble on the likes of Foden and Geraghty.

What do you think? Is Foden ready to step up to the plate, and can Wilkinson still cut the mustard at the highest level? Send in your thoughts via the boxes below.