Northampton’s Tom Wood gets England call
Northampton flanker Tom Wood has been called into the England squad as they prepare for their second Test against Australia at Twickenham on Saturday, 13 November.
The 24-year-old is included in the squad as Lewis Moody is still carrying a head injury after a collision with New Zealand hooker Keven Mealamu in the All Blacks 16-26 win over England.
Mealamu was cited over the incident and he may miss the rest of his side’s matches in the Autumn Internationals.
Wood has yet to be capped at international level and it is expected that he will not make the match day squad as captain Moody is expected to be fit to start.
The flanker will compete for a place and will train with the England team ahead of the Test match. Wood has played for the England Saxons, and considering his form with Northampton and the knock taken by Moody, it was enough for England coach Martin Johnson
to call up the physical flanker.
The player will add some strength and bulk to the squad and he will hope that he can impress Johnson prior to the coach naming his match day team on Tuesday, 9 November.
England’s George Chuter has not been called up to the squad and will stay with his club side the Leicester Tigers. The hooker is expected to start for a Midlands team against Australia during the week instead.
England will hope that they can record their first win of the Autumn Internationals after their impressive second half display against New Zealand.
The English team will face a confident Australian side who have won their last two games after beating New Zealand 26-24 in the Bledisloe Cup and Wales 16-25 in their opening match of the Autumn Internationals.
Johnson believes that his players were rusty in the first Test against New Zealand and he will hope that Wood can add some enthusiasm and freshness to the team, before he selects his starting 15 for the Australia Test.
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