Worsley explains his non-appearance

Sunday 18th February 2007

England flanker Joe Worsley and Wasps director of rugby Ian McGeechan explained the selection mystery surrounding the player following today's 26-18 Guinness Premiership victory over Sale.

Worsley, recalled for England's clash with Ireland in Dublin on Saturday after missing last weekend's win over Italy with a neck injury, was originally selected in the Wasps starting line-up and then relegated to the replacements' bench.

But he was not used during the entire 80 minutes despite pacing up and down the touchline, casting glances towards McGeechan.

Worsley emerged from a 30-minute workout on the pitch after the match to say: "I haven't been able to do any contact work all week so that's why I didn't start.

"I fancied a few minutes but I've burnt myself in the past after being injured so it was better to rest.

"I would probably have rather got on for 20 minutes but I'm pleased with the work I've done afterwards."

But he insisted he is fit for England duty adding: "I wouldn't have been involved if I wasn't."

McGeechan revealed: "I thought England might want to see him play to make sure he was fit but they were pretty ambivalent. The message was they wanted to rest all 15 - full stop."

McGeechan, who played England winger Josh Lewsey and replacement flanker Tom Rees for the full 80 minutes, said: "Joe trained yesterday and he was okay.

"We said we would start with James Haskell and look to give Joe 20 minutes but, with 20 minutes on the clock, I thought we didn't need him so he didn't come on."

While Lewsey and Rees came through unscathed along with Sale's England stars Jason Robinson and Magnus Lund, there is a big question mark over France number eight Sebastien Chabal for his country's Six Nations clash with Wales in Paris.

He came on as a 55th-minute replacement but limped off eight minutes later with a damaged calf and Sale director of rugby Philippe Saint-Andre said: "We hope it's nothing too serious but we will have to wait and see."

Saint-Andre showed no sign of apology for not heeding the requests of Brian Ashton and Rob Andrew to rest his England players for the game, despite understanding Ashton'c concerns.

"The weekend before an international, I understand why England would want their best players rested," Saint-Andre told Sportsweek on BBC Radio Five Live.

"But we are struggling with injuries and are finding it hard to pick a team at the moment.

"I need my best players because we are six points behind Wasps, who are fourth, and, if we want to finish in the top four, we need a good performance today.

"We try our best - we rested Jason Robinson and Magnus Lund the week before the Six Nations when we played away at Gloucester.

"If we were top of the league and six or seven points clear, we could rest our key players, but that is not the case."