Six Nations Championship
England draft in Worsley ahead of Six Nations opener
Scrum.com
January 30, 2009
England's Joe Worsley looks on during a training session, Browns Sports Complex, Vilamoura, Portugal, January 30, 2009
Worsley's last pulled on an England shirt during the tour of New Zealand last year © Getty Images
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Players/Officials: Martin Johnson | Michael Lipman | Joe Worsley
Tournaments/Tours: Six Nations | Six Nations
Teams: England

England have concluded what manager Martin Johnson described as a "very productive" pre-Six Nations training camp in Portugal.

The squad returned home today following a final session at their Vilamoura base on the Algarve ahead of their Championship opener against Italy at Twickenham on February 7.

England have also confirmed that London Wasps back row Joe Worsley has been drafted into the squad as a replacement for his injured team mate Tom Rees who remains sidelined with a knee ligament injury. The 31-year-old Worsley has 67 caps with his last England appearance coming on the tour of New Zealand last summer.

He has been training with the squad this week in Portugal and his promotion from the England Saxons follows the decision to release flanker Michael Lipman back to his club to recover from injury. Lipman went off midway through the first-half of Bath's Heineken Cup draw with Toulouse last Sunday after taking a heavy blow to the side of his head.

The rest of the squad was in action earlier on Friday, aside from Wasps prop Tim Payne who missed out with sore abdominal muscles but is expected to be fit for training on Monday.

London Irish duo Delon Armitage and Nick Kennedy and Sale centre Mathew Tait returned their clubs earlier this week in order work on their match fitness and will be on Guinness Premiership duty this weekend.

"The five days have been very productive," said Johnson. "The conditions were good and the players and coaches have enjoyed some quality training, preparation and analysis time together."

The squad will now meet at Pennyhill Park hotel in Bagshot on Sunday night, with Johnson set to name his squad for the Italy game on Tuesday, February 3.

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