Debutant Erinle ready to front up to the All Blacks

Nov 19 2009 by Our Correspondent, Liverpool Daily Post

AYOOLA ERINLE insists he is ready to lead England in a full-frontal physical assault on New Zealand after being selected to make his full Test debut at Twickenham on Saturday.

The direct, powerful Biarritz centre was the one surprise inclusion in an England side shaped by manager Martin Johnson to try and bludgeon New Zealand into submission rather than cut them to shreds.

Shane Geraghty, a footballing inside centre, has made way for Erinle while powerhouse lock Simon Shaw and combative flanker Joe Worsley both return to the starting line-up.

The one concession England have made to their apparent iron-fist approach is to include the exciting Mathew Tait on the bench for the first time this autumn.

Johnson railed at the suggestion that his selection was “damage limitation” or defensive and he highlighted the undisputed ball-carrying abilities of Erinle, Shaw and Worsley.

But Erinle is not a distributor and his kicking game is virtually non-existent. His chief role will be to neutralise the powerful midfield threat posed by his opposite number Ma’a Nonu.

Shaw and Worsley, who have both overcome early-season injury problems, are there to challenge the All Blacks’ ferocity in close-quarters combat.

New Zealand are now ranked as the number one team in the world and Erinle said: “It is one of the tougher games to make your starting debut in. It is a baptism of fire but I will rise to the challenge.

“I am no Shane Geraghty, there won’t be any razzle-dazzle or throwing miss-passes. The coaches have picked me for my size and strength and my more abrasive game.

“Nonu is very much a threat. The onus is on us throughout the team to be on the front foot in defence.

“There is a great weight of responsibility given we haven’t played to our best in the last two games (against Australia and Argentina)

“There will be a lot of pressure on the team but I think we will rise to the challenge. We can take the game to them as teams like South Africa and Australia have done in the past.

“You have to get into them, don’t take any backward steps and don’t be afraid of the fact they are New Zealand. Yes, they come with a big tag but get into them and disrupt them.

“New Zealand are renowned for their ferocity at the breakdown both in attack and defence but we have been working on that because we need to be watertight in that area.”

Twelve months ago Erinle was in a “dark place” – out on loan at Nottingham having failed to establish himself at Leicester and questioning his future in the game.

Erinle’s England ambitions had long since been extinguished but, like Jonny Wilkinson and Steve Thompson, his career has been revitalised by a move to France.

The 29-year-old was initially called into the squad as injury cover but then made his Test debut off the bench against Australia and now starts against New Zealand.

“I am hugely proud to be selected to start for England in a Test match at Twickenham,” he said. “All you ever want as a professional sportsman is to represent your country on the highest playing field.”

Erinle is familiar playing in midfield alongside Dan Hipkiss, having come into the Leicester side for a dozen games – including the Heineken Cup final – at the back end of last season.

It will make a difference to Wilkinson, who will bear all the playmaking responsibilities this week having shared them with Geraghty against the Wallabies and Pumas.

Johnson has reshuffled his back three with Ugo Monye switching to the wing after his troubles at full-back last week and Mark Cueto taking the number 15 jersey.