Rugby World Cup 2011
England call up SA-born flank
2011-08-27 15:10
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Hendre Fourie (File)
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Dublin - South Africa-born Hendre Fourie was called up into England's injury-hit side just an hour before kick-off for their final World Cup warm-up match against Ireland here on Saturday - just days after failing to make the squad for the showpiece tournament in New Zealand.
The 31-year-old Sale flanker flew into Dublin on Friday as emergency cover after both starting No 8 Nick Easter and flanker Tom Wood, who was on the bench, suffered calf injuries.
Easter failed a fitness test on Saturday in what team management said was a "tight calf" and so was ruled out of the final warm-up match for both Ireland and England before they head to the World Cup in New Zealand.
Stade Francais lock Tom Palmer had already taken Wood's spot on the replacements bench.
England manager Martin Johnson revealed on Friday that Wood had suffered a mild calf strain, adding: "Tom wants to play and he's annoyed that he's not playing - but where we are and where we are going, it's the right call for him not to play."
Fourie will go straight into the team at openside flanker, with James Haskell moving to No 8 and starting lock Courtney Laws providing back-row cover.
Johnson was forced into sending for the seven-times capped Fourie, qualified for England on residency grounds, after naming only five specialist loose forwards in his 30-man World Cup squad, including injured captain Lewis Moody.
The 2003 World Cup winning flanker has remained at England's training base this weekend to work on his rehabilitation but Johnson confirmed he would fly to New Zealand with the squad on Monday.
England medical staff have insisted Moody, who is recovering from knee ligament damage, is on course to be fit for the team's opening World Cup clash against Argentina on September 10.
Saturday's match sees England looking to atone for a 24-8 Dublin defeat by Ireland five months ago that cost the Six Nations champions a Grand Slam and return to winning ways after a 19-9 loss to Wales in Cardiff a fortnight ago.
Meanwhile Ireland will be desperate for a morale-boosting victory after losing to Scotland and twice being defeated by France in their three previous World Cup warm-up matches.
They will though be missing captain Brian O'Driscoll, out with a shoulder injury.
Revised England team: (15-1)
Ben Foden; Chris Ashton, Manu Tuilagi, Mike Tindall (capt), Mark Cueto; Jonny Wilkinson, Richard Wigglesworth; James Haskell, Hendre Fourie, Tom Croft; Courtney Lawes, Louis Deacon; Dan Cole, Steve Thompson, Andrew Sheridan
Substitutes: Dylan Hartley, Matt Stevens, Simon Shaw, Tom Palmer, Joe Simpson, Toby Flood, Delon Armitage