By PETER JACKSON

The man whose tackle accidentally put Danny Cipriani out of England action for nine months spoke of his horror on Monday night over the shattering consequences.

As Wasps 20-year-old fly half Cipriani came round from surgery in a London hospital on an ankle fractured and dislocated after a perfectly legitimate tackle by Olly Barkley, the Bath centre was waiting to see him.

"It was definitely the most horrific thing I have seen on a rugby pitch," said Barkley. "It was so far out of place that, at first, Danny didn't think it was his leg.

Floored genius: Danny Cipriani lies in agony after Olly Barkley's tackle

"He had looked down at his foot just after it happened and it must have put him in a massive state of shock. It looked horrendous and put a huge cloud over the remainder of the match. What made it all the more upsetting was that, apart from everything else, Danny is a mate.

"I'd been looking forward to the chance of playing alongside him for England in New Zealand next month. It's a huge shame for Danny and a huge shame for England.

"I'm sad for Danny, sad for England and I wanted to go to tell him how sorry I am that it happened. If that had been me, I would have appreciated a visit from one of my mates."

The accident happened after Barkley made a routine tackle, assisted by his fellow centre Alex Crockett, during Sunday's Premiership play-off at Adams Park.

"I'm not sorry for the tackle because it was perfectly normal and there was no malice whatsoever," added Barkley. "It was a complete accident. Danny went for the gap and I went to tackle him, the sort of thing which happens hundreds of times in any match.

"I heard something go. It's not a very nice thing to hear or see. It's an incident which will stay with you for quite a while. Nobody would wish that on his worst enemy. Alex was quite severely affected by it. He went very quiet and felt a bit queasy."

Cipriani will not return to the Test arena before the start of the Six Nations next February. Wasps estimate that Cipriani will be fully fit in six months and Margo Wells, the player's fitness coach, is adamant that the most exciting player of his generation will be back, 'better, fitter and stronger than ever'.

Barkley added: "Danny was quite drowsy when I saw him but the specialist was there and everything has gone as well as it could have gone. It's all back in place. It will take a while but it will come right in the end. Players have come back from these kind of injuries, even if they do take a long time."

Ieuan Evans made an almost miraculously swift recovery from the same gruesome injury 13 years ago. One look at the Cipriani incident was enough for the former Wales captain to realise that what had happened to the Londoner was roughly what happened to him during a Llanelli-Cardiff match in October 1995. Incredibly, Evans was playing again four months later, for club and country. "Ever since then, I cannot bear to watch any serious injury on a rugby field," he said. "Whenever anything like that happens, I look away but this time I didn't realise how bad it was until I saw it."

While Martin Johnson and his advisers deliberate over how to replace Cipriani among the 32 bound for New Zealand early next month, Charlie Hodgson will be given first crack at proving he is the man to fill the vacancy against the All Blacks.

The Sale fly half, confined to one brief appearance as a substitute throughout Brian Ashton's 22-Test reign, was named on Monday among a 27-strong training squad for the friendly against the Barbarians at Twickenham on June 1. The squad includes 13 uncapped players.

Saracens' director of rugby Eddie Jones has promoted Springbok prop Cobus Visagie to a player-coach role next season alongside two more new coaches, ex-back row forwards Alex Sanderson and Paul Gustard. Sarries also plan to create a similar position for their most famous former back row forward, Richard Hill.

Wales hooker Huw Bennett is out of the summer tour to South Africa after injuring ankle ligaments during Shane Williams' testimonial game last weekend.

ENGLAND TRAINING SQUAD (v Barbarians) — Forwards: Clarke, Hobson (Bristol), Lloyd (Saracens), Wilson (Newcastle), Paice (London Irish), Hartley (Northampton), Hooper (Leeds), Kennedy (London Irish), Jones (Sale), Robshaw, Skinner, Guest, Easter (Harlequins), Narraway (Gloucester). Backs: Brown, Strettle, Monye (Harlequins), Ojo, Richards (London Irish), Tait (Sale), Tindall, Allen (Gloucester), Noon (Newcastle), Flood (Leicester), Hodgson, Wigglesworth (Sale), Care (Harlequins).