Perry misses out as Balshaw takes on Irish

Five changes from the team that put almost 50 points past France at Twickenham in April; 13 changes, no less, from the side that completed the summer tour of North America with an eight-try victory over the United States in San Francisco. There is no Martin Johnson, no Lawrence Dallaglio, no Phil Vickery and, disappointingly, no Austin Healey, who must be the best player not to be deemed worthy of a starting place since Jack Rowell ducked out of dropping Will Carling during the 1997 Five Nations and dropped Jeremy Guscott instead.

Anyone else would be considered fair game in the absence of three world-class forwards, Test Lions to a man, and a back-line selection that flies in the face of current form. But England are not just "anyone" these days. As every Irishman in Dublin was at pains to point out yesterday, Clive Woodward's red rose vintage can stack up against the very best in the world – indeed, England are the very best in the world, according to the Ulster outside-half David Humphreys. Why? Because they have Test-quality reinforcements for virtually every position, from full-back to loose-head prop.

The question is this: has Woodward identified the right reinforcements for the job in hand – a high-intensity, physically draining and wickedly difficult Grand Slam meeting with Ireland in Dublin on Saturday? Few would criticise his judgement in terms of forward selection. Julian White, recovered from a knee injury suffered while training with Bristol last week, is perfectly capable of filling in for Vickery, as he demonstrated against the French five months ago; moreover, his superior scrummaging will be a bonus this weekend. Simon Shaw's imperturbable efficiency in the face of pandemonium makes him an ideal stand-in for Johnson, while Martin Corry was always going to deputise for Dallaglio, troublesome hamstrings willing.

Outside the scrum, however, there are grounds for concern. Healey is plain unlucky; it is distinctly possible that he would have beaten Matt Dawson to the scrum-half berth had Johnson's broken hand not persuaded Woodward to rein in his instinct for adventure and play the percentages instead. But Iain Balshaw rather than Matt Perry at full-back? There is precious little evidence to support that decision, given that Perry was picked ahead of his clubmate for all three Lions Tests in Australia and produced a match-winning performance for Bath last weekend.

"Balshaw has been playing OK at club level, and in camp with us he's been fantastic," said Woodward, in defence of a selection that will have been urged on him by Brian Ashton, his attacking strategist. "I did think long and hard about it, though," he admitted. Intriguingly, Woodward had half a mind to give Jason Robinson, named in an England starting line-up for the first time, a run at 15 rather than on the wing, which would have opened up a place for Healey. But the real debate centred around Perry, whose defensive talents are at least the equivalent of Balshaw's abilities in offence.

We have been here before: the Balshaw-Perry conundrum was a feature of this Six Nations tournament as long ago as last February, when England opened their campaign in Cardiff. But there was just a hint from the Irish camp yesterday that they were happy with the Balshaw option. "What do you think of England's back three?" the home selectors were asked, after they had named a side unchanged from that responsible for the demolition of Wales last weekend. "Do you think they can all defend?" Eddie O'Sullivan, the assistant coach, smiled. "Why don't you put that question to Clive Woodward?" he replied.

* The future of Bridgend Rugby Club was in peril last night when the owner, Leighton Samuel, said that he was withdrawing his support at the end of the season. Samuel saved the club from going under two years ago when he stepped in to pay off a £1m debt. Within 18 months, his £3m investment had helped guide the Ravens into the Heineken Cup for the first time. Now, however, he has confirmed that following criticism from fans and a lack of support, he will step away. For Bridgend, whose wage bill is as big as any club in the top flight in Wales, it could spell the beginning of the end.

ENGLAND TEAM

v Ireland, Six Nations' Championship, Lansdowne Road, Saturday: I Balshaw (Bath), D Luger (Harlequins), W Greenwood (Harlequins), M Catt (Bath), J Robinson (Sale); J Wilkinson (Newcastle), M Dawson (Northampton, capt); J Leonard (Harlequins), P Greening (Wasps), J White (Bristol), S Shaw (Wasps), D Grewcock (Bath), M Corry, N Back (both Leicester), R Hill (Saracens). Replacements: D West, G Rowntree (both Leicester), S Borthwick (Bath), L Moody (Leicester), K Bracken (Saracens), A Healey (Leicester), M Perry (Bath).