 Sheridan was injured after a clash with team-mate Lee Mears |
England prop Andrew Sheridan will miss Saturday's second Test against New Zealand in Christchurch after sustaining a cut under an eye. He was substituted in the 62nd minute of Saturday's 37-20 defeat after being struck by the stray stud of team-mate Lee Mears and needed 12 stitches. Newcastle prop David Wilson has been called up from the England Saxons squad on tour in the United States as cover. Wasps' Tim Payne is likely to replace Sheridan in the starting line-up. "Tim came off the bench at the weekend and he has done well for England when he has played in the past," tour manager Rob Andrew told BBC Radio 5 Live. Bristol's Jason Hobson, the only other prop in the party before Wilson's arrival, is set to win promotion to the bench.  | Test rugby is about trying to make sure you don't have many weaknesses because you get found out England manager Rob Andrew |
"I'm obviously very disappointed to get the news but I've got to follow the medical advice I've received," said Sheridan, who was injured following a collapsed scrum. "The laceration should be fully healed in a fortnight." Andrew indicated the enforced change at loose-head prop will not be the only one after England's chastening defeat in Auckland. "We said we would look closely at what happened in the Test and what we wanted to learn about some of the players," Andrew said. "The only way you can do that is to actually put them out on the field, so we will be making some changes to the side." Foremost among them will be at fly-half, where Charlie Hodgson's whole international career appears to be under threat after being hauled off just 50 minutes into the first Test. | 606: DEBATE BBC Sport's Alastair Eykyn |
The All Blacks targeted England's number 10 channel and were rewarded when Ma'a Nonu swatted aside Hodgson's feeble attempted tackle to set up the hosts' third try for Mils Muliaina. Either inside centre Olly Barkley, who moved to fly-half for the final half-hour, or Toby Flood, who could also come into the side at 12, are likely to start at fly-half in the second Test in Christchurch. "Like all players he (Hodgson) has strengths and weaknesses," noted Andrew, standing in for new manager Martin Johnson in New Zealand. "Test rugby is about trying to make sure you don't have many weaknesses because you get found out in Test match rugby. That is a challenge for him to address." Jamie Noon came on for Hodgson to bolster the midfield defence and could earn a start alongside Mike Tindall in Christchurch, while Mathew Tait and Tom Varndell are both in contention to start in the back three, with Mike Brown and David Strettle likely to make way. Scrum-half Danny Care may also be handed his first Test start in place of Richard Wigglesworth, while David Paice could replace Lee Mears at hooker and veteran lock Ben Kay may earn a recall. Amid the debris of defeat, England could at least take encouragement from the way Tom Rees, James Haskell and Luke Narraway competed against Richie McCaw and Rodney So'oialo in the back-row battle. | Richie McCaw seems to be invisible to some referees England manager Rob Andrew |
"For our young guys, with 15 caps between them, to go toe-to-toe with McCaw and So'oialo in that area was outstanding," Andrew said. Andrew has questioned the legality of some of McCaw's tactics, however, joking that he would give the celebrated flanker an England shirt "so when he comes in on our side of the ruck he has already got a white shirt on." "Richie is a great player and I have huge respect for him," Andrew told 5 Live. "He gets away with what he can and he has done it for years. He seems to be invisible to some referees. | 606: DEBATE BBC Sport's Alastair Eykyn |
"It reminds me of when I used to play against Scotland and Finlay Calder and John Jeffrey were always on our side of the ruck as well." As well as the breakdown, Andrew drew encouragement from England's line-out, where they stole or disrupted seven of the All Blacks' throws, while wing Topsy Ojo marked his Test debut with two opportunist tries. "We have to build on the good bits and make sure we tighten up on the areas where we made some mistakes," he added. "We tested the All Blacks in certain areas but not sufficiently across the whole game. I am sure they will step up, but I honestly believe we can step up another gear too." • Andrew has dismissed a claim by an Auckland radio station that Andrew Sheridan was seen out drinking late last Wednesday, three days before the first Test, as "completely outrageous". "That tends to be the sort of thing you expect when you are the touring side in New Zealand," he added.
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