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Teams

• England

Players

• Iain Balshaw
• Martin Corry

RBS Six Nations, England v Italy, Twickenham, Saturday February 10, KO 1.30pm

Ex-England captain Martin Corry and full-back Iain Balshaw are both doubtful for Saturday's RBS Six Nations clash against Italy at Twickenham.

The inspirational return of 2003 World Cup winning fly-half Johny Wilkinson helped England to a 42-20 victory over Scotland in their tournament opener at the weekend, getting boss Brian Ashton's reign off to a great start.

But as England prepare for their second game in the tournament, Ashton has revealed Balshaw (groin) is yet to prove his fitness, with his Gloucester team-mate Olly Morgan waiting in the wings for a second successive Six Nations start.

Corry meanwhile, deposed of his captaincy role at the expense of Phil Vickery, is also doubtful because of illness.

Ashton explained: "Martin has got an infection in his arm, and he is on a course of antibiotics. We are not concerned at this stage.

"Iain ran in a straight line about 80 per cent yesterday, and he was able to run in a weaving line today. Tomorrow, he is due to train with the team."

Ashton has also admitted it has been hard on Morgan to be sacrificed with the return of the more experienced Balshaw.

"It wasn't the easiest decision," he continued. "When you bring a young player in at very short notice for his first cap and then he has a half-decent game, it is always a difficult conversation to turn around and say 'thanks very much, the other guy is fit again.'

"But Iain Balshaw was the guy we selected on form for the first game, and if he's back and fit again this week, then it is a natural selection to put him back in there again."

The Azzurri suffered a 39-3 home defeat against France last weekend, and they have a terrible record in England, conceding 159 points in their last three Six Nations visits to Twickenham, but Ashton is not expecting an easy ride for his team.

"I think Italy could pose a bigger threat than Scotland did to us. They have got a very physical and very experienced pack of forwards, and I felt that was where we got the edge over Scotland," he added.

"They have got really experienced forwards who have been stand-out players in the Premiership, the French championship and the Heineken Cup.

"I have seen a dramatic improvement, maybe not so much in terms of results, but in terms of the way they play the game. I think they are a far more complete side now than they were, they play a lot more intelligently."