Dallaglio dropped as Woodward fumes at All Black tactics

If the world champions of Australia get away with blue murder at Twickenham this weekend – and they have committed sporting crimes without doing the time often enough in the past – it will not be for the want of an orchestrated pre-emptive strike by their English opponents. Clive Woodward spent most of yesterday bleating about certain questionable aspects of the All Blacks' performance in London last Saturday, but his words were aimed at two very different targets: the Wallabies, who are seeking a first win over England here in four years, and Paul Honiss, the referee.

Woodward's regime has frequently been described as the sporting equivalent of New Labour, and the England manager was spinning like crazy as he announced a side showing three changes, one of them positional, from that which started against the All Blacks: Ben Kay of Leicester for Bath's Danny Grewcock in the second row, and, rather more dramatically, Neil Back for Lawrence Dallaglio in the back row, with the eternally flexible Richard Hill moving from open-side flanker to No 8.

Far from concentrating on the highly significant, and no doubt painful, decision to bench Dallaglio, Woodward was more interested in drawing attention to the popular southern hemisphere tactic of running decoy lines in front of the ball-carrier, rather than behind him.

According to Woodward, this chicanery contributed handsomely to three of the four tries scored by the New Zealanders. "I'm raising this now because I don't want to find myself moaning about the problem when I fly home from the World Cup in 12 months' time," he said. "A couple of years ago, the International Rugby Board banned decoy running in front of the ball. That was great, from my point of view. But they went potty down in the southern hemisphere, and after a cleverly coordinated campaign and a big punch-up at a meeting here in London, the IRB overturned their original decision. I argued strongly against the change, and I lost. I don't have a problem with that. But if referees are going to permit passing behind dummy runners' backs, it is vital that we're all allowed to do it.

"It is a essential that we know where we stand well in advance of the World Cup, because English players will not get to grips with this unless they are doing it week in, week out at Premiership level. My own view is that deliberate, off-the-ball interference with defenders should be penalised. But if it is not going to be penalised, we need to get practising."

As a piece of pre-Test psychology, it was about as subtle as a brick. This form of decoy running is a Wallaby invention rather than an All Black one – the ACT Brumbies were the pioneers, under the guidance of Eddie Jones, who now happens to coach the national team – and England have been caught out by it on several occasions. Woodward was transparently attempting to bring the subject to the attention of Honiss, himself a New Zealander, in the hope that he might go looking for any obstructive tactics, and, at the same time, make the Wallabies think twice about their approach.

Dallaglio, who would have won his 50th cap this weekend, took his latest knock-back with customary good grace. "I am disappointed, of course, but there are a number of good players around; four into three won't go, so if you have a quiet game, as I did in attack against New Zealand, the coaches will look at other options," said the Wasps captain.

"I have never taken anything for granted. I will evaluate what needs to be done – I think we are talking about fine lines here, not huge margins – and come back stronger. I believe I have a lot to offer."

The manager accepted that Hill had once again been denied a run in his optimum position. "In common with others, I think Richard's best position is seven rather than eight," he said. "But he and Lewis Moody have to play – they were outstanding against the All Blacks – so it is a matter of balance, of fitting players into what we think will be a winning unit. The decision to play Dallaglio rather than Back against New Zealand was a tight one, and being brutally honest, Lawrence did not quite hit the standard we have come to expect. I cannot pick on reputation."

Will Greenwood, the Harlequins centre, and Phil Vickery, the Gloucester prop, did not train yesterday because of injury, but Woodward believes they are virtually certain to start against the team he still considers "the best in the world".

If Vickery fails to pull through, Jason Leonard will win his 98th cap in the front row, with Northampton's Robbie Morris on the bench. Andy Gomarsall, the Gloucester scrum-half, will definitely be among the replacements having been omitted from the squad for the New Zealand fixture.

ENGLAND TEAM (v Australia, Twickenham, Saturday, 2.30pm)

J Robinson (Sale); J Simpson-Daniel (Gloucester), W Greenwood (Harlequins), M Tindall (Bath), B Cohen (Northampton); J Wilkinson (Newcastle), M Dawson (Northampton); T Woodman (Gloucester), S Thompson (Northampton), P Vickery (Gloucester), M Johnson (Leicester, capt), B Kay (Leicester), L Moody (Leicester), N Back (Leicester), R Hill (Saracens). Replacements: M Regan (Leeds), J Leonard (Harlequins), D Grewcock (Bath), L Dallaglio (Wasps), A Gomarsall (Gloucester), A Healey (Leicester), T Stimpson (Leicester).