Woodward wary of carefree Welsh
March 22, 2002

England supremo Clive Woodward has warned his side to beware a Wales side who have 'nothing to lose' at Twickenham on Saturday.

"I don't look at the bookmakers or past results," Woodward said. "As Scott Quinnell has said, Wales have got nothing to lose, and this is going to be a big game.

"There is no doubt that Wales can win tomorrow. They should have beaten France in this Six Nations, while we lost to France."

Woodward is backing a side showing six changes - two of those positional - to come out with all guns blazing.

"A few of our main players are out, but this is a wonderful opportunity for other people to come in," Woodward added. "We were stung by what happened in France, and I am hoping to get everything back on track after a bad day in Paris a couple of weeks ago.

"We lost fair and square - it is not rocket science. We lost, and we move on, but we have lost before and come back a better team.

"It is very important that we win tomorrow and try and win the championship, which I think we still can. We are keen to try and put things right after Paris, and we need to make sure that we are a lot more clinical in our decision-making."

Woodward today announced a late change on the England replacements' bench after Sale fly-half Charlie Hodgson withdrew because of a recurring ankle problem.

Hodgson, who also provides goal-kicking back-up to Jonny Wilkinson, missed out in Paris for identical reasons.

Bath's Iain Balshaw, desperately striving to regain his scintillating international form of last season, will now be on the bench.

Woodward confirmed that if Wilkinson had to go off injured tomorrow, then full-back Austin Healey would switch to number 10, with Tim Stimpson featuring as England's last line of defence and also as goal-kicker.

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