England set to wield the axe
Jonny Wilkinson should discover in the next 24 hours whether or not he will pay a hefty price for England's Calcutta Cup no-show.
Jonny Wilkinson should discover in the next 24 hours whether or not he will pay a hefty price for England's Calcutta Cup no-show.
The fly-half superstar has never been dropped during his 69-cap England career that began as a replacement against Ireland ten years ago.
England face the same opponents at Twickenham next Saturday – but a contrast in circumstances could hardly be greater.
On that occasion, England toppled Ireland 35-17 following a 34-20 success in Edinburgh two weeks earlier, which meant they enjoyed a Triple Crown-winning campaign.
But even a top-three finish might prove beyond them in this season's Six Nations Championship.
And Wilkinson, the new holder of Test rugby's world points record, could prove the biggest casualty.
Although the 28-year-old has received public support from obvious sources, such as his England and Newcastle colleague Mathew Tait, calls for Wilkinson to be dropped have grown louder by the hour.
A lack of tactical authority and dreadful kicking from hand against Scotland seemingly leaves England head coach Brian Ashton with little option other than to axe him.
Danny Cipriani, now back with the England squad after being ditched for Scotland when he was pictured leaving a London nightspot after midnight, or Charlie Hodgson – Wilkinson's second-half replacement at Murrayfield – are leading alternatives.
The smart money is on 20-year-old Cipriani being given his big chance, despite Ashton's reputation as being something of a conservative selector.
Ashton normally announces his team on a Tuesday of a Test week, and if Wilkinson does get the boot, he is unlikely to be alone.
Wing Lesley Vainikolo must also fear the worst just four Tests into an England career that remains stalled on the starting grid, while flanker James Haskell will be back, provided he is declared fit following an ankle injury.
Ashton, frankly, could change at least half the team, and no-one – least of all those players involved two days ago – could complain.
The England squad has reassembled at its Bath training base, anxious to move on towards a Six Nations finale that will only decide mid-table finishing positions rather than settle title business.
“We were just too indisciplined, and I suppose we shot ourselves in the foot,” centre Jamie Noon said, reflecting on the Murrayfield defeat.
“The way we played was nowhere near like we played against France in Paris (two weeks earlier).
“It is disheartening and it is difficult.”
While Wilkinson awaits news of Ashton's selection, his England team-mate Toby Flood insists “no-one will throw their toys out of the pram” after Scotland's 15-9 success.
Centre Flood, another possibility for the number ten shirt if Wilkinson misses out, backed skipper Phil Vickery's view that England produced an “unacceptable” display.
“Rest assured, there will be some straight-talking meetings this week and tough calls made about what needs to be done to move England forward,” he said.
“No-one will throw their toys out of the pram, there will be no heated meetings and it certainly won't be a crisis meeting.
“It will be what we do after every match, a measured and constructive breakdown of the game.
“Saturday's performance was unacceptable, but hopefully it's just a blip.
“What we don't want to do is turn into a hit-and-miss side where we are not consistent for one match, or even from one half, to the next,” Flood added, speaking to the RFU's official website.
“We didn't play well in all facets of Saturday's game. All the things we had talked about doing in the week came to a grinding halt.”