David Hands, writing in The Times, believes that Nick Kennedy has been hard done by after being dropped by England.
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Nick Kennedy has been replaced by Simon Shaw
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"Professional sport seldom has much to do with fairness for its participants but if Nick Kennedy does not have a raging sense of injustice at missing Sunday's game against France, it will be strange indeed. The London Irish lock has been growing into international rugby during this Six Nations Championship so to be supplanted by Simon Shaw will be very galling.
"If Martin Johnson wanted to change his side in midstream, now is the time to do it with two home games remaining and nothing to lose since England have only a limited chance of being in the mix when championship honours are decided on March 21. But of the two locks who have played in the last three games, Kennedy has been a greater contributor in an all-round sense than Steve Borthwick, the captain.
"This happened to Kennedy in November, when he made his debut against the Pacific Islanders and then made way for Tom Palmer before returning for the final autumn international, against New Zealand. But throughout the championship he has been the go-to man at the lineout and has become increasingly effective in loose play."
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