Chris Hewett believes that the answer to England's scrummaging problems may lie with Bath's returning loosehead David Flatman, in The Independent
"England's great leaps forward in the Test arena have not been blindingly obvious this season – to most eyes, they have taken a series of small steps backwards – and their work in the scrum, the very foundation of their game, has been particularly unimpressive. This might be about to change, just in time for the build-up to next year's World Cup. The Bath prop David Flatman, last capped in 2002, has recovered from his latest injury hassle and is ready to challenge for a place on next month's five-match trip to Australia and New Zealand.
"Indisputably the most effective loose-head scummager currently available to the national team – his rejection by the manager Martin Johnson has been one of the mysteries of the age – Flatman has been struggling with a biceps problem in recent weeks. But Steve Meehan, the Bath coach, confirmed yesterday that the 30-year-old forward would "play a part" in this weekend's Premiership meeting with Leeds, which the West Countrymen must win to secure a place in the semi-finals."
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