Robinson set for England captaincy

Jason Robinson is tipped to become England's stand-in captain today in a team that could feature discarded scrum-half Matt Dawson against Canada at Twickenham on Saturday.

Robinson is favourite to win the captaincy - vacated by the injured Jonny Wilkinson - ahead of Bath's Mike Tindall when head coach Andy Robinson names his first England team.

Dawson was dumped from the squad last month for honouring a commitment to appear on the BBC's Question of Sport programme but a scrum-half injury crisis has put the London Wasps No9 back in the frame.

Leicester's uncapped Harry Ellis has an Achilles injury while Andy Gomarsall, of Gloucester, has been hampered by back spasms but it seems certain that Robinson will name both players subject to fitness tests tomorrow.

Sale's Mark Cueto could get a first cap while Leicester prop Graham Rowntree is expected to return to the front row after impressing at club level. London Wasps' Joe Worsley could be asked to fill the No8 role rather than blind-side flanker against a Canadian team that conceded 50 points to Italy on Saturday. It was a defeat that left Canadian coach Ric Suggitt bitterley disappointed. He said: "We didn't do anything to put any pressure on Italy.''

Meanwhile, London Irish head coach Gary Gold will watch a video of his side's 25-15 home win over Worcester before deciding whether or not to file a complaint about referee Chris White.

White was booed off by Irish fans after yellow carding Ryan Strudwick and giving Worcester a penalty try in injury time. Gold said: "I'm going to need to have a look at the video."