Catt is key after Ashton U-turn

The head coach caused a shock yesterday by initially naming Farrell in the outside-half role after injuries ruled Jonny Wilkinson (ankle) and Olly Barkley (hip) out of the clash in Paris.

It seemed an astonishing gamble by Ashton, considering Farrell has never played in the No10 shirt for England and has only made two appearances in that role for Saracens, one of them in a 2nd XV match.

But twenty-four hours later Ashton has announced he will use the experienced Catt at fly-half, while switching the rugby league convert to inside centre for tomorrow's Pool A clash.

The move, I believe, is Ashton's bid at mind games in the run-up to the clash of two of the game's giants. However, it could also be viewed as the head coach, aware of the huge amount of flak he would receive if Farrell failed to fire as a rookie fly-half, deciding to play it safe.

Whatever the reason, Ashton is convinced he has made the right decision. He said: "Mike Catt has played most of his career at outside-half and I see them both as inside backs who will mix and match during the game in those positions.

"If I didn't believe they could do it, I wouldn't have put them in there."

London Irish back Catt is determined to prove his boss right but knows that he and Farrell both face a massive challenge.

The 35-year- old explained he had had just one team run-out at outside-half with Farrell at inside centre, and that the only option was "to give it a good thrash".

"Basically, Faz and I will be doing the same job," said Catt. "We will chop and change, but we are both very clear about what we are going to have to do. We are going to have to control the game because we are the decision-makers.

"We are realistic - because it's a massive ask and we are huge underdogs.

"If we make the same mistakes we did against the USA, South Africa will destroy us. Faz and I haven't had time to forge our relationship in the team because we've just had one run-out and we are going to have to just pick things up.

"It's an instinctive thing and I don't think that much about my rugby, I just play the game.

"Faz has a good left foot, is strong defensively and has a great rugby brain and, to a great extent, we're just playing the same sort of way New Zealand and Australia do.

"It's very much a case of 10 and 12 working together, making the right decisions and you could describe us as a double act."

Although Farrell will not be forced to fill the No10 role, the spotlight will still be very much on him tomorrow.

The former Wigan and Great Britain rugby league captain has endured a troubled time since his switch to union in 2005 and his critics will turn on him again if he struggles against the Springboks.

However, a defiant Farrell declared: "I don't think I have anything to prove. Injuries have held me back over the past few years and I've not shown my best yet. It's one thing coming into a new sport - there's pressure in that alone. But when you have the vultures after you and then you are injured, it is even harder.

"I will get fitter, stronger and, hopefully, England will get more out of me. This is not a new thing for me. I played in two rugby league World Cups."

The fly-half conundrum has been one of the biggest issues in the run-up to this game but Ashton revealed that the situation could improve rapidly next week.

The boss said: "Jonny Wilkinson is not fit to start, but we believe he will be fine for the Samoa game next weekend. There is a possibility that Olly Barkley could also be fit by then."

England have called up Bristol prop, Darren Crompton, who will be on stand-by in case one of the three remaining England props in the party are injured. He is needed as cover for the next two weeks, while captain Phil Vickery is serving his ban.

Even this addition to the party, which required a special dispensation from World Cup organisers, was not straightforward.

"Stuart Turner was our first choice as replacement prop, but he's injured," said Ashton.

"It's good to report that there are no other problems for us today, although, when I did look up and see a blue sky this morning, I checked to see if there was a piano up there ready to fall down on us!"