England on collision course with French clubs for Six Nations

Rob Andrew is bracing himself for more rows with French clubs over the release of James Haskell, Tom Palmer and Jonny Wilkinson for England duty during the RBS 6 Nations.

Last year Max Guazzini, the president of Stade Francais, claimed England were holding Haskell hostage when they refused to release him for a key Top 14 match when the Six Nations was on a one-week break.

Andrew, whose role as England's director of elite rugby is set to be scrapped, said yesterday it was "inevitable" the France-based players will be placed under similar pressure during this year's competition.

Stade and Toulon are both mid-table in the French league and face important fixtures on both rest weekends of the Six Nations as they chase a semi-final place.

"We are having dialogue at the moment," said Andrew. "It is inevitable that they will (put the pressure on). They have all got big games. Inevitably there are going to be issues that we are working through. How they play out we will have to wait and see.

"We have been absolutely consistent from day one with all these guys and the French clubs about what the situation is and it hasn't changed."

England head to Portugal for a pre-tournament training camp in the last week of January and Andrew sent a firm message to Stade and Toulon that Wilkinson, Haskell and Palmer are expected to be there. "The French league play on the Thursday night that we are in Portugal. We expect them in Portugal and we expect them to be there when Martin Johnson wants them there," Andrew said. "If Martin decides they can play at any stage that is a decision Martin takes for the benefit of the individual player and the England team. That is the top and bottom of it." These arguments will end after the forthcoming World Cup, when England introduce a policy of only selecting players who are home-based.

John Steele, the Rugby Football Union's chief executive, wrote to all players and their agents in November explaining the decision was based on maximising England's chances of winning the 2015 World Cup on home soil.

Wilkinson decided to sign a new contract with Toulon, which means he could well have entered the final year of his international career.

"Jonny has had a long career and he's done what he wants to do," Johnson said. "I am just happy that he's fit and I'm looking forward to him coming in. What happens to him in the next year we will see."

Haskell is also out of contract in the summer. Palmer has one year remaining on his current deal with Stade.

Andrew was present at the announcement of England's expanded 33-man Six Nations squad, which features call-ups for Leicester lock Louis Deacon and Wasps scrum-half Joe Simpson. Johnson has also added Charlie Hodgson to the squad after the Saracens-bound fly-half provided injury cover for Wilkinson in the autumn.

Courtney Lawes and Tom Croft are both included, with Johnson hopeful they could be back in action before the end of the tournament.Lawes damaged knee ligaments against Leicester last weekend and the original prognosis from Northampton was a three month lay-off. Croft is recovering from the fractured shoulder he suffered against South Africa in November but Johnson is optimistic. Johnson will name the temporary injury replacements for Lawes and Croft after the next two rounds of European action. Former captain Steve Borthwick and Northampton flanker Tom Wood are the leading candidates.

FORWARDS: George Chuter (Leicester), Dan Cole (Leicester), Tom Croft (Leicester), Louis Deacon (Leicester), Paul Doran-Jones (Gloucester), Nick Easter (Harlequins), Hendre Fourie (Leeds Carnegie), Dylan Hartley (Northampton), James Haskell (Stade Francais), Courtney Lawes (Northampton), Lewis Moody (Bath), Tom Palmer (Stade Francais), Tim Payne (Wasps), Simon Shaw (Wasps), Andrew Sheridan (Sale Sharks), Steve Thompson (Leeds Carnegie), David Wilson (Bath), Joe Worsley (Wasps).

BACKS: Delon Armitage (London Irish), Chris Ashton (Northampton), Matt Banahan (Bath Rugby), Danny Care (Harlequins), Mark Cueto (Sale Sharks), Toby Flood (Leicester), Riki Flutey (Wasps), Ben Foden (Northampton), Shontayne Hape (Bath), Charlie Hodgson (Sale Sharks), Joe Simpson (Wasps), David Strettle (Saracens), Mike Tindall (Gloucester), Jonny Wilkinson (Toulon), Ben Youngs (Leicester Tigers).