Payne gets England call-up

10:50am Friday 21st November 2008

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WROUGHTON-BORN prop forward Tim Payne has been called into England’s XV to face the world champion South Africa at Twickenham on Saturday.

Payne, whose parents Roger and Penny still live in Wootton Bassett, got the nod from team boss Martin Johnson after Sale’s Andrew Sheridan was ruled out by a neck injury.

Wasps’ prop Payne was promoted from outside the original match 22 to start at loosehead against the Springboks, with Bath star Matt Stevens remaining on the bench.

Payne will win his ninth Test cap and his elevation takes the Wasps contingent in the England starting XV to eight.

His last appearance for England was on the summer tour to New Zealand, when he again deputised for Sheridan who had suffered a gash to the eye.

Sheridan suffered the injury in last weekend’s 28-14 defeat to Australia.

He was expected to be fit in time to play against the Springboks and was named in the team by Johnson on Tuesday.

But England’s medical team yesterday decided Sheridan should be rested as a precaution.

He is expected to be available for England’s final Investec Challenge international of the autumn against New Zealand on November South Africa’s Jannie du Plessis is confident he is ready to take on England on Saturday despite only joining up with the squad four days ago.

The 26-year-old was tucking into a birthday dinner at home with his family on Sunday when he received a call from coach Peter de Villiers asking him to fly to London for the season-ending Test at Twickenham.

It was a bittersweet surprise, though, as his younger brother Bismarck was the unlucky player making way, having injured a hamstring in last weekend’s 14-10 victory over Scotland.

COUNTY Cups take centre stage this weekend as league rugby takes a break.

But both Wootton Bassett and Swindon take a break, with their Dorset & Wilts 1st XV Cup quarter-final clash not scheduled until next month.

But Supermarine and Swindon College are scheduled for action, as the 1st XV Plate gets under way in earnest.

College travel to Dorset to take on Blandford, while Supermarine are also on the road, going to Salisbury for their first-round clash against Wheatsheaf.

In the 2nd XV Cup, Swindon must also head south, with Wimborne their hosts.