Doran-Jones set to make England debut
HIS Premiership experience may amount to mere weeks, but Gloucester prop Paul Doran-Jones is set to make his England debut against Argentina on Saturday.
Doran-Jones, who only moved to Kingsholm from London Welsh in the summer, is today expected to be named on the bench for the clash at Twickenham.
His rapid promotion comes after David Wilson and David Barnes became the latest front-row forwards to fall victim to England’s incredible injury curse.
Manager Martin Johnson is now without his four first-choice tighthead options, Phil Vickery, Julian White, Jason Hobson and Wilson.
Injury has also deprived Johnson of his preferred loosehead, Andrew Sheridan, and back-up Barnes. That means Duncan Bell is poised for a first Test start since 2005 at tighthead, with Tim Payne, who played in Saturday’s defeat to Australia, set to keep his place at loosehead.
With No8 Jordan Crane among eight players released from the squad, Stade Francais back-rower James Haskell is being tipped for a recall. Although he will only be among the replacements, 24-year-old Doran-Jones is likely to get a taste of international action off the bench.
Facing Argentina, who are renowned for their prowess in the scrum, is a huge step up for a player with only 266 minutes of top flight experience.
But England scrum coach Graham Rowntree believes Doran-Jones, who has represented England Under 18s as well as Ireland Under 19s and Under 21s, will rise to the challenge.
“The other coaches didn’t know what he looked like until Sunday night but I have been watching Paul all season,” said Rowntree. “He can play both sides of the scrum and I think he is a true prospect for the future. We could be playing against easier scrums this weekend for sure; it is the deep end. Paul is the next guy in and we get on with it. It is a big step up but Paul is good enough and that is what we will be telling him.”