Fresh injury blows for England
May 20, 2002

England manager Clive Woodward's preparations for their clash with the Barbarians on Sunday has been hit by another three withdrawals from his squad.

Centre Will Greenwood, scrum-half Kyran Bracken and wing Dan Scarbrough have all withdrawn from the revised 23-man squad announced by England boss Clive Woodward last week.

Greenwood is recovering from a viral illness, while Bracken has an ankle problem and uncapped Leeds prospect Scarbrough is nursing a knee injury that could sideline him for six weeks.

They join a huge list of absentees, with injuries having also ruled out the likes of Lawrence Dallaglio, Iain Balshaw and Mike Tindall.

Woodward was already without the services of any Leicester or Sale players, given their clubs' respective European finals commitments next weekend.

Several other players, meanwhile, are being rested both for the non-cap Barbarian clash and next month's one-Test tour of Argentina.

Gloucester scrum-half Andy Gomarsall, who won the last of his seven England caps against Italy in 2000, replaces Bracken, with the other two vacancies filled by Saracens backs Ben Johnston and Kevin Sorrell.

Johnston won't now be on England duty at the International Rugby Board World Series London Sevens later this week, with his Saracens colleague Richard Haughton drafted into that squad.

Woodward intends announcing his line-up to face the Barbarians on Wednesday.

The side will be captained by Gloucester's Lions prop Phil Vickery, who won't have a great deal of experience at his disposal, apart from scrum-half Matt Dawson, a former England skipper.

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