| Wilkinson out of first World Cup game |
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Tuesday, 04 September 2007
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Jonny Wilkinson, England's 2003 World Cup final match-winner, has been ruled out of the opening game against the USA in Lens on Saturday. Bath's Olly Barkley will wear the number 10 shirt, with Andy Farrell lining up on the bench. Wasps star Josh Lewsey will win his 50th cap in a team showing six changes from England's final tournament warm-up Test against France in Marseille. England head coach Brian Ashton has also found room for Lawrence Dallaglio, who starts in an all-Wasps back row alongside Joe Worsley and Tom Rees. Dallaglio, a veteran of 80 caps, starts ahead of Nick Easter, who failed to feature in the match-day 22. Worsley, meanwhile, plays at blindside flanker, while Leicester's Martin Corry, who has recovered from a knee problem, has to be content with a place on the bench. Elsewhere, Jamie Noon and Mike Catt form the centre combination - Dan Hipkiss misses out - and fit-again Andrew Sheridan returns to the front row in place of Perry Freshwater. England's poor lineout performance in Marseille has undoubtedly cost Bath skipper Steve Borthwick a World Cup start, with Leicester's Ben Kay preferred in the second row alongside Simon Shaw. Bodog.com has posted rugby betting odds to win the Rugby Union - World Cup 2007:
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| Last Updated ( Tuesday, 04 September 2007 ) | |||||||
England's World Cup fly-half star Jonny Wilkinson suffered a twisted ankle in training and is out of the side´s opening fixture. Bodog.com has