London - Injured England captain Lewis Moody could be named in the team’s World Cup squad even though he isn’t expected to be fit by the time the team leaves for New Zealand.
Moody suffered a recurrence of a knee ligament strain during England’s 23 – 19 win over Wales at Twickenham last Saturday, and it was initially feared that the injury would rule him out of the World Cup.
However, according to the Telegraph’s website, England forwards coach Graham Rowntree could be willing to gamble on Moody’s fitness.
"We'll give him the time he needs. It's too early to say that he will be on the plane but we're very hopeful he'll be coming away with us,” said Rowntree.
“We wouldn't be the first World Cup squad that could be taking players who are injured at the moment. We've got no hard-and-fast rule as to whether we will take injured players."
Moody will not be fit to face Wales at the Millennium Stadium on Saturday and is also not expected to play in England’s last game before the World Cup, against Ireland on August 27.
The flanker has been capped 67 times by England and played in all seven matches of the 2003 World Cup triumph, but has been out of action for the last seven months since suffering the original knee injury in January.
England’s World Cup squad will be announced on August 22.
Moody suffered a recurrence of a knee ligament strain during England’s 23 – 19 win over Wales at Twickenham last Saturday, and it was initially feared that the injury would rule him out of the World Cup.
However, according to the Telegraph’s website, England forwards coach Graham Rowntree could be willing to gamble on Moody’s fitness.
"We'll give him the time he needs. It's too early to say that he will be on the plane but we're very hopeful he'll be coming away with us,” said Rowntree.
“We wouldn't be the first World Cup squad that could be taking players who are injured at the moment. We've got no hard-and-fast rule as to whether we will take injured players."
Moody will not be fit to face Wales at the Millennium Stadium on Saturday and is also not expected to play in England’s last game before the World Cup, against Ireland on August 27.
The flanker has been capped 67 times by England and played in all seven matches of the 2003 World Cup triumph, but has been out of action for the last seven months since suffering the original knee injury in January.
England’s World Cup squad will be announced on August 22.