Italy flop gives Back food for thought

The Leicester Lion rejoined the Six Nations squad yesterday in far better shape than when he left it after the Italy mismatch. He is confident that a special diet of six meals a day and intensive treat-ment on a damaged knee will have him in peak condition for the game against Scotland at Twickenham on Saturday.

If Clive Woodward's specialists agree that he is fit to return, Back will be reunited with Richard Hill and Lawrence Dallaglio for their 29th Test outing as a threesome, a run which makes them the most capped back row unit in the game's history.

If not, Joe Worsley will expect to appear in the starting line-up for the first time since his debut in the World Cup almost 18 months ago.

Back, who admitted he ought not to have played against Italy after a dose of gastric flu, has been given the all-clear from one series of tests after several recent bouts of illness and says he has made the most of a rest enforced by the blow to his knee.

'I'm back to my normal fighting weight and gagging to go,' he said. 'But I definitely won't make the mistake I made last time. If there are any problems when I go full out in contact, I will pull out of the team straight away because of my experience against Italy.

'I always learn from my mistakes. We have a very talented squad with guys who can slip into the back row like Joe Worsley and Martin Corry. Hopefully, I will be alright. If not, I won't be there.

'Clive and the medics know all about it. I have increased my carbohydrate intake since the Italy game, eating six times a day, once every four hours.'

His staple diet consists of porridge oats with skimmed milk and water, plus two bananas; then he tucks in to baked potatoes with tuna, baked beans and cheese, rice pudding, followed by a wholemeal scone with jam - no butter - two more bananas, and, to finish, pasta with chicken or ham.

England will announce today whether Matt Perry is to be reinstated at full back, with Iain Bal-shaw reverting to the wing, and whether Jason Robinson retains his place among the seven substitutes in the hope that this time someone might give him the ball. Mike Tindall's knee problem leaves a vacancy to be filled on the bench.