England seek centre to define their philosophy

The search goes on. Martin Johnson believed last season he had found in Riki Flutey the man to fill England's No12 shirt, but Flutey has played only nine games this season and the damaged shoulder that has hampered him requires further attention, forcing him to miss England's tour to Australasia next month.

It leaves England once more in the cleft stick of two playing philosophies - that of the traditional English centre best exemplified by Will Greenwood's long and successful tenure, or the southern hemisphere's scrumhalf and flyhalf division of labour, of which Mike Catt was a successful exponent.

Flutey has enjoyed a career of considerable utility value, having also played in both halfback positions. If he can sort out his physical problems, he has a chance next season of recovering the form that earned him Lions selection a year ago in time for the 2011 World Cup in his native New Zealand and Johnson, the team manager, is desperately hoping he will.

The England coaches have two weekends to finalise candidates to fill Flutey's shoes, but only one was in action yesterday - Dominic Waldouck, for London Wasps in their Amlin Challenge Cup semifinal against Cardiff Blues at Adams Park.

Olly Barkley made a significant case for an England recall during the game at Twickenham last weekend against Wasps but must show the consistency of a serious contender when Bath complete their Guinness Premiership season against Leeds Carnegie on Saturday. Barkley is up against a clubmate, Shontayne Hape, who would have won a cap during the RBS Six Nations Championship but for illness.

Hape has made 18 starts for Bath at inside centre this season, seven at outside centre, and is a bigger physical specimen than his immediate rivals. But Barkley's recovery has pushed Hape wider and the other imposing physical presence available to England, Jordan Turner-Hall, missed so much of the first half of Harlequins' season that he is not back in the reckoning.

Shane Geraghty of Northampton and Anthony Allen of Leicester offer contrasting possibilities, although England are inclined to view Geraghty as a flyhalf. Waldouck, though, has been growing in prominence with Wasps; of his starts this season, 10 have been at outside centre and eight at inside, a versatility that he believes will stand him in good stead.

He will need every weapon at his disposal against Jamie Roberts and Casey Laulala. "They would be a test for any midfielder, but you have to have confidence that you can compete," Waldouck, 22, said.

But Waldouck's appetite for the fray will appeal to Johnson. He learnt from Fraser Waters, a player he describes as one of the best centres England has produced, and has taken over the defence leadership at Wasps from Waters. This season he has had to fight for his place against Steve Kefu and Ben Jacobs, and next season Flutey returns.

There have been setbacks: three weeks out with a fractured cheekbone in October when he was running into form and a similar absence with a damaged shoulder in February, critical times of the representative season. "If I can play the way I can, we'll see what happens (with England)," he said. "We play 12 as the No10's eyes. You don't want to be another flyhalf but I do want to be a running 12. The selectors know what they want, so I just have to play my game and hope they like it." - © The Times, London