Rugby Union: England have worked themselves into a position where they have everything to prove

AS I write, the England team to play Wales have not been announced. I see it as one of the functions of a columnist to advise managers and coaches what they ought to do rather than to predict what they will do. Accordingly I can approach the subject without any greater danger than usual of looking foolish.

A consensus seems to have built up over the past week that Matt Perry must be restored in place of Mike Catt; that the front row must be remodelled to accommodate a new tighthead prop, with Victor Ubogu the favourite replacement, closely followed by Phil Vickery, and a few voices raised in favour of Will Green; and that either Tim Rodber or Tony Diprose must come in at No 8.

These are the minimum requirements. There is a case for saying that the England team who went down in Paris were, with a few adjustments such as these, the best currently available. There is equally a case for following the traditional French revolutionary policy of a la lanterne.

This would mean that, judged by their performances in Paris, the only players to retain their places would be David Rees, Jeremy Guscott, Paul Grayson (partly because he did not let England down with his kicking, partly because there is nobody else), Garath Archer, Lawrence Dallaglio (if fit) and Neil Back. There is certainly a case for restoring Adedayo Adebayo and Matt Dawson to the backs and for fielding an entirely new front row, in addition to adjusting the back row.

Has anyone, by the way, noticed how hookers who are not regular first choices for their clubs are already English internationals? This season Andy Long of Bath and Dorian West of Leicester have been capped, the latter as a substitute. It can be only a matter of time before the call goes forth to George Chuter of Saracens, admittedly first choice for his club but a very recent one.

Graham Dawe, formerly of Bath, now of Moseley, was - perhaps still is - a better player than any of these. But because his period corresponded to the reign of Brian Moore he ended up with a handful of caps, four if you include a match against the United States. He must sometimes reflect on the unfairness of life.

Wales likewise have been having trouble in this department. Wisely, they have stuck consistently with David Young since his return to Cardiff from rugby league, though the wiseacres say - the front row has always been the most fertile ground for armchair authorities - that his scrummaging power has diminished since his sojourn in the north.

Well, in South Africa for the Lions last year, Young was considered better than Jason Leonard but not quite as good as Paul Wallace. Barry Williams was distinctly unlucky not to become the first-choice hooker. For Wales the problem, as it has been for several seasons, is at loose-head.

The selectors first flirted with Andrew Lewis of Cardiff and then transferred their affections to Christian Loader of Swansea. For the England match Lewis is back. I should have preferred an attempt to turn Lyndon Mustoe, also of Cardiff, into a regular loose-head.

But the argument I do not accept is that, at 5ft 10in and 15 stone, Lewis is "too small" for the modern game. After all, Tom Smith, of roughly similar dimensions, discomposed the South African front row. Jeff Probyn was the same size likewise; and England could certainly use Mr Probyn's services today.

I am sorry that Craig Quinnell is still omitted but delighted that Colin Charvis is back. However, he is back at No 6, rather than at No 7. And indeed people speak highly of the player who is to fill the latter position, Martyn Williams.

But the truth is surely that until flankers as a race turn themselves into left-and-right, as wings do, the blind side cannot simply be swapped for the open. They are different trades.

Centres have gone the way of flankers rather than kept to that of wings, and now usually play inside and outside, as Scott Gibbs and Allan Bateman respectively will on Saturday. They, Neil Jenkins' boot and Robert Howley present the greatest dangers to England.

With heart pounding dangerously, I shall be backing them to win at Twickenham, not because Wales have the better backs, as they do, but largely because England have worked themselves into a position where they now have everything to prove and will consequently be on edge; whereas Wales have long had nothing to lose. I shall not be at all disappointed if Jenkins and Arwel Thomas make copious use of the corner flag.