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Rugby Union

Hodgson happy at England call

10/01/2008

Sale Sharks fly-half Charlie Hodgson has said he is pleased to be back in the England squad after missing the 2007 Rugby World Cup through injury.

Hodgson was excluded from the 30-man party for the tournament in France last autumn after rupturing a cruciate ligament in his right knee during the 2006 autumn internationals.

Despite battling his way back to fitness, he just missed out on the deadline for the squad's announcement and was forced to watch on as England recovered from a poor start to reach a second consecutive final.

And Hodgson, who is likely to be an understudy to first-choice fly-half Jonny Wilkinson, said he was "delighted" to be returning to the international fold.

"After my injury I came back into the [Sale] side for the pre-season game against Samoa and have been enjoying my rugby again," he said.

Sharks director of rugby Philippe Saint Andre also saw three more of his players called up for international duty with England - winger Mark Cueto, prop Andrew Sheridan and uncapped scrum-half Richard Wigglesworth.

And the Frenchman said all four "fully deserve their call-ups".

"Wiggy has been one of my most consistent players over the last couple of seasons; Charlie is a model professional who fought his way back after a career-threatening injury; Mark is just coming back into top form after some niggling injuries; and Andrew is one of the best front-row forwards in the world game," he said.

"We will miss them at club level but I think they will all serve their country well."