Woodward goes for broke against Wallabies

If discretion is the better part of valour, Clive Woodward is about as prudent as a compulsive gambler who bets his bank account – and that of his wife, his parents and his favourite maiden aunt – on one late-night spin of the roulette wheel. The England coach has reacted to last month's Grand Slam pratfall in Dublin by making 10 changes, three of them positional, in a devil-may-care selection designed to run the world champion Wallabies off their feet at Twickenham this weekend. Bold? Daring? Yes, and then some.

It may just work, in which case Woodward will look very good indeed. On the other hand, it may go splat – and in that eventuality, the buck will travel all the way to the top, accompanied by some hard questions about tactical judgement.

This starting line-up, with Jason Robinson installed at full-back and Austin Healey restored to the wing, has pace and ambition to burn, but it is also a shot in the dark. "I genuinely believe England can beat the best by putting the most talented players on the field and going for it," said Woodward with the greatest sincerity.

Worryingly, the utopian approach to Test rugby carries precious little weight in Wallaby land. The Australians, sharpened by the presence of a new coach and still bristling over their narrow defeat in London a year ago, have made a monkey of Healey before, and will fancy their chances of exposing Robinson's lack of experience in his new role. The tourists boast the most complete kicking game in world rugby, and if the Burkes and Roffs of this parish succeed in pulling England's back three out of shape, Woodward will regret his decision to ignore Matthew Perry for the umpteenth consecutive match.

Perry may be the most decorated full-back in red rose history – he is among the bravest and most dependable, too – but as things stand, there is more chance of Woodward naming Harry Potter as England's last line of defence.

"Matt is one of my favourites, both as a bloke and as a player," insisted the coach as the usual gripes and grumbles began to fly. "This is hard on him." So what should the man do? Re-structure his game? Move position? "Neither," replied the coach. "I think he's a great full-back. It's just that I think Jason is the form full-back."

Woodward was in one of his more Delphic moods yesterday: he admitted to getting his selection wrong in Dublin – "I'm still bitterly angry about the Ireland game" – but claimed that the defeat was down to a lack of quality preparation time rather than a lack of the correct personnel performing their correct roles. He then insisted that Iain Balshaw, the dazed and confused full-back from Bath, had "done nothing wrong" at Lansdowne Road. When asked why Balshaw had been bombed out of the 26-man squad convened for this weekend's match, he said he had "not been bombed out of anything".

There was, however, a certain logic to his choice of Healey on the right wing, even though the Leicester Lip has been given the occasional run-around in this position, not least by the Wallabies. Woodward believes Healey, a hot tip for the scrum-half berth, to be more effective as a broken-field runner – either at stand-off, or wider out. By shifting Robinson infield, he has created an opening for the form back in the Premiership and also made space for England's most technically proficient number nine, Kyran Bracken.

Up front, seven-eighths of the pack picked itself. Only a curmudgeon of Scrooge-like proportions would begrudge the rejuvenated Graham Rowntree his promotion at loose head, even though it denies Jason Leonard another step towards a century of caps. (Leonard has missed the odd game during his decade of service at international level, but this is the first time the word "dropped" has been used in his connection). Dorian West and Phil Vickery were stone-cold certainties for the other front row positions, while Ben Kay was a walk-in at lock after his vigorous performance for Leicester against Perpignan at the weekend.

However, Woodward freely admitted that he had taken a wild punt on Joe Worsley at No 8. Worsley is an out-of-form forward playing for an out-of form club; with his mentor, Lawrence Dallaglio, among the long-term injured, he has barely fired a shot all season.

"It was a difficult call between Worsley and Lewis Moody," said the coach. "Lewis is on fire, while Joe is not performing to his potential. But there is something to be said for playing people in their right positions, and this allows Richard Hill to move back to the blind-side flank."

People playing in their right positions, eh? If the Wallabies get stuck into Robinson and Healey on Saturday, those words will not be forgotten.

ENGLAND (v Australia Twickenham Saturday): J Robinson (Sale), A Healey (Leicester), W Greenwood (Harlequins), M Catt (Bath), D Luger (Harlequins), J Wilkinson (Newcastle), K Bracken (Saracens), G Rowntree (Leicester), D West (Leicester), P Vickery (Gloucester), B Kay (Leicester), D Grewcock (Bath), R Hill (Saracens), N Back (Leicester, capt), J Worsley (Wasps). Replacements: M Regan (Bath), J Leonard (Harlequins), S Borthwick (Bath), L Moody (Leicester), C Hodgson (Sale), B Cohen (Northampton), M Perry (Bath).