Hodgson determined to make most of return to England fold

World Cups are supposedly the pinnacle of a player’s career, but two cruciate knee ligament injuries ruled him out of the 2003 and 2007 tournaments and after fighting his way back into the squad last summer, he was overlooked when Martin Johnson named his final 32 for New Zealand.

Hodgson has also been unceremoniously hauled off the pitch during his time as an England player, and has had to get used to endless questions about existing in the shadow of Jonny Wilkinson, who has now retired from the international scene.

But the Premiership’s all-time leading points scorer has admirable resolve.

As England prepare for a new dawn starting in Murrayfield this week, Hodgson is back.

At 31, he has been reinvigorated by a summer move to Premiership champions Saracens and he is expected to be named at fly-half for England’s opener against Scotland.

Just as accurate as Wilkinson with the boot – as his 269 points in 36 England appearances will testify – that statistic tells only half the story.

For Hodgson’s passing game is just as influential on the course of a game and is widely regarded as an art form he is one of the finest exponents of.

He is also an intelligent kicker, who can use the boot to batter teams into submission.

It all adds up to a welcome return for the Halifax man.

“Things do change massively in sport, and can change week to week,” said Hodgson from the England training base in Leeds last week.

“Sometimes you don’t know where you stand so, ultimately, it’s about focussing on working hard and doing the right thing and letting things develop.

“Obviously, I was disappointed not to be in the recent World Cup squad but I’m delighted to be given this opportunity again.

“I’ve missed out on three World Cups now for one reason or another, so it’s never quite been for me really.

“Now it’s about looking forward. I drew a line under the World Cup a long time ago, when I knew I wasn’t going to be there.

“It quickly became all about focussing on the move to Sarries. And now the focus is on leading up to these games.”

Hodgson would have been in the squad regardless of Wilkinson’s retirement.

Toby Flood’s absence for the first two games with injury may have presented him with the chance to make an instant impression, and it also gives Stuart Lancaster freedom to select the exciting axis of the Saracens trio of Hodgson, Brad Barritt and Owen Farrell.

Hodgson is likely to start at No 10 with Barritt and Farrell potential centres. Farrell may take kicking duties on his debut but regardless of whether or not the responsibilities of place kicking are bestowed on Hodgson, he is just excited to be part of that pivotal fulcrum.

Hodgson said: “Ultimately, the fact that we play together each week does help, we have that understanding that potentially you wouldn’t have if you’ve just been thrown together for a few days of training. That can only help us but right now we still don’t know where we stand.

“In the training we’ve been doing we’ve been swapped and changed a bit so we don’t really know where we’re at.

“If we get the opportunity to show what we can do as a unit that would be great.

“Stuart just wants to make sure that this is a squad thing.

“It’s not about 22 players, it’s not about 15 players, it’s about making sure that anyone given an opportunity will be able to go out there and perform and undertsand the way the system works and how it should work.

“It’s creating that environment where everyone knows they’re in with a good shout of playing.”

As for that age-old question about predominantly being behind Wilkinson, Hodgson – whose last England start was against New Zealand in June, 2008 – said: “I don’t even think it’s about having the limelight. Jonny was in that position because he deserved to be in there.

“I have no qualms about it at all really. Throughout my career I have always worked hard at my game.

“It’s about working hard at things you’re not so good at and that’s always been a focus of mine.

“The opportunity to be here again is brilliant, regardless of whether Jonny’s here or not.”

Another shot at a World Cup may be beyond him.

Hodgson will then be 35 so he is very much focused on the here and now.

Having tasted life in the England camp under four different coaches since his debut in 2001, he is well placed to survey how well the new man, Lancaster, has gone about his business.

Principle among the interim head coach’s aims was to rebuild the culture, something Hodgson feels has been accomplished.

He said: “The World Cup has been put in the past now. It’s about being positive around each other, about being humble with each other, having no egos amongst the squad and making sure we all get on together.

“It’s easy to talk about but a lot harder to do, but the guys have bought into that very, very quickly in the last few days.

“There’s a good, positive environment. Stuart wanted to make sure there were a few bridges built, not just with the media but also with the public and wanted to get England behind us again, and cheering us on, for all the right reasons.”

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