Noon on standby

Feb 6 2009

Jamie Noon is ready to answer England's latest injury SOS and replace Mike Tindall in the team to play Italy at Twickenham on Saturday.

Noon was left out of the original matchday 22 but returned to the squad on Thursday after Tindall damaged his back while training in the gym.

If Tindall is ruled out, Noon is favourite to go straight into the team at outside centre with the more versatile Mathew Tait remaining on the bench.

England manager Martin Johnson admitted Tindall's fitness was "a concern" but insisted he would not rush into any decision over whether to make another late change.

Johnson has already had to alter his starting XV once this week with scrum-half Harry Ellis called in to replace Danny Care, who slipped on the ice at England's training base and damaged ankle ligaments.

"Mike is a bit sore. He ricked his back in the gym on Thursday and we will have to see how it goes. It is a concern," said Johnson.

"The medical guys are looking at him but he was a bit sore overnight. Jamie Noon has come down and we have Tait as well who is named on the bench. We will make the call when we need to.

"They can both play 13. Tindall is having some treatment now so we will take direction from the medics and see what they think and we will go from there. There is no definitive time on it. We will make the call when we need to."

Noon offers Johnson a like-for-like replacement for Tindall as a physical, hard-tackling outside centre.

The 29-year-old cemented his place in the England team last year after Tindall suffered a perforated liver during the opening game of the 2008 RBS 6 Nations, an injury that left him in intensive care.