Academy students graduate to England squad with honours

The new England National Academy, established at the start of the season under the management of Brian Ashton, does not appear to be doing too badly, thank you very much. Two of the original 13 élite students, James Simpson-Daniel and Phil Christophers, are no longer on campus, for the very good reason that they have been promoted to the senior Six Nations squad for next month's intriguing bout of fun and games with the French at Twickenham. At this rate, Ashton will soon be coaching himself.

Clive Woodward yesterday named 27 players for the 2003 version of "Le Crunch", four of whom are wings. Ben Cohen, who would be very close to a World XV at the moment, will certainly appear on the left flank, having operated on the right against the Springboks in November, but there is nothing remotely clear-cut about the destination of the No 14 shirt. Simpson-Daniel, happily recovered from a bout of glandular fever, started the autumn Test series as first choice, but Dan Luger was out of commission at that point. Now that the Harlequin is back and firing, the call will be tight indeed.

Woodward's squad is much as expected – the head coach is getting distinctly boring in his old age – with Charlie Hodgson of Sale back to challenge Jonny Wilkinson at outside-half and Julian White of Bristol restored to the front row union. White's supercharged scrummaging performance against Leinster in last Sunday's Heineken Cup match at the Memorial Ground was as good as anything seen this season, and if he continues to deliver on such a scale, Phil Vickery will feel some heat before the end of the tournament.

Only three players who featured against the southern-hemisphere tourists before Christmas have been omitted: Austin Healey, the Leicester utility back, and Trevor Woodman, the Gloucester prop, neither of whom was considered because of injury, and Ben Johnston, the Saracens centre, who failed to make the cut. Woodward resisted any temptation he may have had to recall Mike Catt and Kyran Bracken, but Joe Worsley, the Wasps flanker, has inched ahead of Sale's Alex Sanderson to reclaim the fringe loose forward spot.

Five of the 27 will drop down to the A team for the eve-of-Test fixture against the French second-string at Northampton on 14 February, the most likely candidates being Christophers, Worsley, Dorian West, Simon Shaw and Tim Stimpson. They will be joined by a majority of the academicians, who now count Andrew Sheridan of Bristol among their number. Sheridan, an absolute ox of a player, toured South Africa with England in 2000 as a lock, but has since been reinvented as an out-sized loose-head prop.

"I have been delighted by Andrew's performances for Bristol," said Ashton. "He has a huge amount of potential" – a huge amount of everything, some might suggest – "and, if he maintains his progress, he will be considered for further international recognition." Sheridan tips the scales at the best part of 20st, and turned in a suitably heavyweight Premiership performance against Sale last month. He is one to watch.

Meanwhile, Russia have been expelled from the 2003 World Cup for fielding three ineligible South Africans in their qualifying matches against Spain during the autumn. The International Rugby Board also fined the Russians £75,000 on the advice of its judicial officer from New Zealand, Tim Gresson, who found that the South Africans – Johan Hendriks, Renier Volschenk and Werner Pieterse – had failed to provide proof of claimed Russian grandparentage.

"This is a serious and saddening development," said Syd Millar, the acting chairman of the IRB, last night. "Unions must go the extra mile to satisfy themselves that players are eligible. It is a matter of the greatest regret that Russia, a fine union with great potential, should lose the chance to qualify for the finals in this way."

Russia, who have a fortnight to appeal, were due to play the first leg of a répêchage tie against Tunisia in Tunis on Saturday. That game has been scrapped. Spain, who lodged the initial complaint with the IRB, have been reinstated, and will presumably play the Tunisians if and when any appeal is rejected. The eventual winners of the tie will play off against the United States for the right to join France, Scotland, Fiji and Japan in Pool B of the finals, which begin in Australia in October.

England's Six Nations training squad

BACKS: J Robinson (Sale Sharks), T Stimpson (Leicester), B Cohen (Northampton), J Simpson-Daniel (Gloucester), D Luger (Harlequins), P Christophers (Bristol Shoguns), M Tindall (Bath), W Greenwood (Harlequins), J Wilkinson (Newcastle), C Hodgson (Sale Sharks), M Dawson (Northampton), A Gomarsall (Gloucester).

FORWARDS: J Leonard (Harlequins), P Vickery (Gloucester), J White (Bristol Shoguns), S Thompson (Northampton), M Regan (Leeds), D West (Leicester), M Johnson (Leicester), B Kay (Leicester), D Grewcock (Bath), S Shaw (Wasps), L Moody (Leicester), R Hill (Saracens), N Back (Leicester), L Dallaglio (Wasps), J Worsley (Wasps).