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Ashtons Reassuring World Cup Squad
Monday 13 August 2007 at 14:47
 Brian Ashton has opted for experience over exuberance in his final squad for England's World Cup defence, dropping eight players from his preliminary party.
Mike Tindall and Charlie Hodgson are among the rejects, which comes as little surprise considering injury problems that have prevented them from getting completely match-fit
But the move to include veteran Mike Catt, 36 next month, and Lawrence Dallaglio, who is 35, show that Ashton favours the safety of experienced, if aging, international stalwarts over players like Nick Abendanon, who Catt said was "mega-talented", with "that x-factor? about him".
Danny Cipriani and Toby Flood were also deemed too inexperienced to join the 30-man team.
There are 12 players from the original 2003 World Cup squad, providing a solid core of experience that should reassure punters, despite England's 21-15 defeat to France at Twickenham on Saturday.
The strategy is a prudent one, given the valuable experience built up during and since the last World Cup.
Dallaglio said: "Lots of the England squad come into regular contact with the French players, so there is an understanding of each other's mindset that has perhaps moved on from four years ago [the 2003 World Cup]."
The new squad should do better in the final warm-up test against France in Marseille next Saturday.
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