Toby Flood racing against time – Rugby News Update
Toby Flood, the 26-year-old England fly-half is racing against time to be fit for his country’s tour of South Africa. The England contingent leaves on May 31 to play a three-match test series against their southern hemisphere opponents, along with two other
mid-week games.
Stuart Lancaster, the England head coach has warned Flood, saying that he is uncertain over his fitness, and does not want to take a player on tour who will be unable to help the cause of his team.
He said, "Clearly there is no point taking someone who is not available until halfway through the tour," Lancaster said. "If there is a chance of him being fit in the few days after (the Premiership final) then perhaps we would (take him).”
Flood missed the Leicester Tiger’s semi-final against the Saracens, which his team won 24-15, to secure a place in the final. He missed the match due to an ankle injury, which will force him out of the England reckoning as well.
England plays an uncapped against the Barbarians on May 27, and Flood’s expected replacement for the tour, Freddie Burns, the Gloucester fly-half, has been included in Lancaster’s team. It seems that the England boss is already making contingency plans in
case his fly-half, who was to take over the mantle from Jonny Wilkinson, does not recover.
Lancaster was optimistic about his chances, hoping that he will recover in time, and he will ask the expert opinion of the England physio Phil Paske.
He said, "He has an ankle injury that will take a couple of weeks. It will depend very much on what our physios and the Leicester physios think at the time. Hopefully he'll be right for the final and the tour. I have to make sure I have enough cover for
South Africa."
Flood has represented England 47 times so far, starting 30 of those games and coming on as a substitute 17 times. He made his debut against Argentina at Twickenham, on November 11, 2006. Flood will want to add to those caps, and really test his mettle against
the formidable Springboks over the summer.
Tags: