Clamour for Cipriani gives Ashton food for thought

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Andrew Feinberg

White House Correspondent

Theoretically, Brian Ashton's selection deliberations ahead of the Calcutta Cup match with Scotland in Edinburgh this weekend should have been the most straightforward of the England coach's career to date. The former world champions won their last Six Nations outing in Paris to give themselves a shot at the title, and there was no obvious injury trauma arising from the latest Premiership activity. While two back-rowers, Nick Easter of Harlequins and Michael Lipman of Bath, were smacked around from pillar to post in the service of their respective clubs, both were judged to be well – if not entirely fit – when they were given the once over yesterday.

With the exception of James Haskell – the Wasps flanker mangled his ankle ligaments in the opening exchanges at Stade de France and was replaced by Tom Croft of Leicester, who will probably be asked to carry on the good work at Murrayfield – Ashton's chosen ones are pretty much in the pink. Yet the clamour for at least one change, or even a couple, has been increasing in volume since the victory over Les Bleus.

Supporters of the young Wasps outside-half Danny Cipriani, a fast-expanding group that appears to include people who have never seen the man play a game of rugby and would not recognise him if they found him asleep on the family sofa, are demanding that the coach pick him at full-back ahead of one of his hardy annuals, Iain Balshaw. Ashton is also under some heat to act at hooker, where the hardiest annual of the lot, Mark Regan, is suddenly struggling to hold down a place at club level. Regan's head-to-head with Lee Mears of Bath failed to materialise on Sunday because Bristol chose to leave him on the bench. While he was looking on, Mears was catching the eye with some energetic ball-carrying.

Cipriani would certainly benefit from some international experience at full-back – the perfect position for a talented young outside-half to occupy early in his Test career, as Stephen Larkham, that marvellous Wallaby playmaker, discovered to his benefit in the mid-1990s. Wasps played the 20-year-old there last season and are reaping the rewards this time around, so there is no reason why Ashton should not do the same, given that Balshaw is not exactly in vintage form. However, the coach's deep loyalty to the Gloucester player counts for a great deal.

The hooking issue is slightly different, for there is a definite feeling that England are waiting for two second-string practitioners – Dylan Hartley of Northampton and David Paice of London Irish – to declare themselves ready for Test selection. Hartley would be involved already, but for the long ban he served for a gouging offence last season and the fact that his club were relegated to National League One. If Mears does force a starting place during this championship, he should make the most of it while it lasts.

Scotland were a smart-money tip for a high Six Nations finish when the tournament began, which says all that needs saying about smart-money tips. Three heavy defeats have left Frank Hadden, their coach, up to his neck in the you-know-what, and yesterday's injury news did little to alleviate his position.

Nick de Luca, the newly-capped Edinburgh centre, will definitely miss Saturday's game after spraining an ankle in Newport last Friday night. More worryingly, two second-row forwards – the aggressive Nathan Hines of Perpignan and Scott MacLeod of Llanelli Scarlets – were unable to train. Hines has a knee injury, MacLeod a damaged shoulder.

Already without the seriously crocked Jim Hamilton of Leicester, Hadden called in Craig Hamilton, the Edinburgh lock, and, most interestingly, the 32-year-old line-out specialist Scott Murray, who is the most decorated player in his country's history. Murray plays for Montauban these days, and those who watch him on a weekly basis in France cannot understand why he is not an automatic choice at international level. If he returns to duty this weekend, his battle of wits with England's Steve Borthwick will be fascinating indeed.