OWN CORRESPONDENT, Cape Town | Monday 12.00pm.
LIAM Botham, son of former England Test cricketer Ian Botham, will make his first appearance for an England rugby union side in a tour match in South Africa on Tuesday.
Botham will play on the right wing against North West in Potchefstroom in a side named on Sunday which contains eight uncapped players for the first game in a five-match tour.
For Botham, himself a handy cricketer, selection vindicates two tough choices he has already had to make in his short career — the first to choose rugby union over cricket and the second to turn down an offer to play for Wales in favour of waiting for a call from England.
“It is special because it means that I’m starting to do something in my own right,” Botham, 22, said.
Loosehead prop Trevor Woodman, who sustained a neck injury during a training session in South Africa, is to fly home on Monday, England manager Clive Woodward said.
“I am very disappointed to be leaving the squad but I felt I was not able to offer 100% on the pitch,” said Woodman, who added that his injury is not serious but requires rest for a full recovery.
Woodman will be replaced by Graham Rowntree, who was flying out to South Africa on Sunday night and looks likely to be on the replacements’ bench for Tuesday’s match.
Apart from Botham, the uncapped players are centres Leon Lloyd and Ben Johnston, flyhalf Ali Hepher, scrumhalf Martyn Wood, flanker Paul Volley, lock Steve Borthwick and loosehead prop David Flatman.
The team will be captained by veteran test flanker Ben Clarke, who was added to the squad at the last moment as cover for Neil Back and Martin Corry.
Manager Woodward said Back was over a knee injury sustained in the game between English league champions Leicester and the Barbarians a week ago.
He said he hopes Corry, who was suffering from a shoulder injury when the team arrived, will be available for selection for next weekend’s first Test.
Woodward said that scrumhalf Scott Benton and centre Will Greenwood were not been considered for selection because of calf problems.
Test regulars Phil Greening, Simon Shaw and Darren Garforth are in the team for Tuesday.
Team:
Tim Stimpson, Liam Botham, Leon Lloyd, Ben Johnston, Dan Luger, Ali Hepher, Martyn Wood, Joe Worsley, Paul Volley, Ben Clarke (captain), Simon Shaw, Steve Borthwick, Darren Garforth, Phil Greening, David Flatman.