Alex Corbisiero set to miss World Cup – Trevor Woodman

Alex Corbisiero is set for World Cup heartbreak according to former England prop Trevor Woodman, who believes Joe Marler and Mako Vunipola will be Stuart Lancaster‘s specialist looseheads at this year’s global gathering.
Two injury-hit campaigns have prevented Northampton man Corbisiero adding to his 19 England caps, the last of which came against Argentina in November 2013, and 2003 World Cup winner Woodman reckons time is running out.
World Cup winner Woodman, who insists Marler is now first choice, told The Rugby Paper: “It’s unfortunate for Corbisiero that he’s been coming back and forth with injuries. That can affect you mentally as much as physically when you’re trying to find form.
“Marler’s cemented himself into that No.1 spot off the back of that and hopefully his shoulder injury is not too bad. He’s just got a good work-rate, his set-piece stuff has really come on and he seems to be growing into that role.
“The more Marler plays international rugby, the more he’s learning. He seems a really smart footballer – hard-working and honest. That’s the sort of person you want to build your team around and England seem to be doing that.
“Vunipola could start but I feel he can add huge impact when he comes off the bench with his ball-carrying. That can add something in the later stages of a game and you need front-rowers ready to go and make a difference.”
Woodman believes England’s tighthead decision will be equally clear-cut, with Dan Cole and Davey Wilson seeing off Henry Thomas and Kieran Brookes, although he makes a case for the latter to be included as cover on both sides of the scrum.
“Brookes has shown he can add something and he could possibly play one and three,” Woodman explained. “It’s whether England look for that variation, which might give him the edge as having just four props leaves you skinny.
“But I can’t see anybody pushing ahead of Cole and Wilson. They’ve both had time out with injury but they’ll both be fresh. You always judge a tighthead on those really important scrums, on your own line, and these two do exactly that.”
Pressed for his England World Cup starting props, Woodman adds: “I’d go with Marler and Cole, with Vunipola and Wilson on the bench.  It’s up to others like Corbisiero, Brookes, Thomas and Matt Mullan to put pressure on over the summer.
“I look back at 2003 when we had Graham Rowntree, Jason Leonard, myself and David Flatman and you didn’t really know who was going to be picked, so you pushed yourself that little bit further and that’s what England will be looking for now.”
NEALE HARVEY