Two days after Martin Johnson's employers launched their own investigation into the allegations of missed drug tests at Bath the England manager revealed that his players were not immune from the drug testers' dawn knock even at the team's training camp in Surrey.
Johnson, who has already lost a Lions prop, Matt Stevens, to cocaine use, had been asked about the future of the flanker Michael Lipman, who is one of three players leaving Bath, and whether there was a drug culture in rugby.
Johnson ducked the Lipman issue, saying: "The RFU are having their inquiry and are collating the information, so we can't really comment on that until we find out what's going to happen," but then explained one of the reasons why he did not think there was a drug culture in rugby: "For instance, this morning at 10 to five I got a call in my hotel bedroom; some of our guys, who are on 24-hour notice, were to be seen by a tester.
"The players are very aware of that, not just as a deterrent but our guys realise what they're throwing away if they get involved in it." Johnson added that he knew of no drug culture in the sport:: "You can never be complacent about those things but in my experience there is not a widespread drug problem in rugby."
Lipman, capped 10 times by England, the last time by Johnson in the autumn against New Zealand, plus his joint club captain Alex Crockett and the wing, Andrew Higgins, left Bath on Monday with the club alleging that they had ducked drug tests. The RFU's disciplinary manager, Bruce Rees-Russell, is investigating the club's claims and the players' denials. He is due to report on Monday.
By then one current Bath player and one for the future will also have a better idea where they stand in England's pecking order. Matt Banahan, the huge wing, and David Wilson, the Newcastle prop who will be joining Bath in the summer, were awarded their first caps when Johnson announced his team to play Argentina at Old Trafford on Saturday.
Both played in last Saturday's defeat by the Barbarians but caps were not awarded, so another player leaving Newcastle, Tom May, will also get his first. "Tom was very impressive when he came off the bench and we decided to go with his experience," said Johnson referring to the 10 years May has played his club rugby alongside Jonny Wilkinson and Jamie Noon.
During that time Wilkinson, an England schoolboy with May, won 70 caps and Noon picked up 38 while May, an inside-centre by choice, played in most positions for Newcastle until he belatedly caught the selectorial eye with performances at fly-half in the final third of the season which help the club pull clear of relegation. Now, like Wilkinson, May is on his way to Toulon while Noon is heading for Brive.
Johnson has made five changes from the side that lost on Saturday with the Armitage brothers, Delon and Steffon, playing together for a second Test – Lewis Moody drops out of the match-day 22 to make way for Steffon at loose forward. Mark Cueto, Dan Hipkiss and James Haskell will also be starting.
ENGLAND D Armitage (London Irish), M Cueto (Sale Sharks), D Hipkiss (Leicester), T May (Newcastle), M Banahan (Bath); A Goode (Brive), D Care (Harlequins); T Payne (Wasps), D Hartley (Northampton), D Wilson (Newcastle), S Borthwick (Saracens, capt), L Deacon (Leicester), J Haskell (Wasps), S Armitage (London Irish), N Easter (Harlequins).
Replacements S Thompson (Brive), J White (Leicester), B Kay (Leicester), J Crane (Leicester), P Hodgson (London Irish), S Vesty (Leicester), M Tait (Sale Sharks).
ARGENTINA 15 H Agulla; 14 F Aramburu, 13 G Tiesi, 12 M Avramovic, 11 Camacho,;10 JM Hernández, 9 N Vergallo; R Roncero, A Basualdo, J Orlandi, M Carizza, P Albacete, A Galindo, J-M Leguizamón, JM Fernández Lobbe (capt).
Replacements 16 E Guiazu, 17 M Ayerza, 18 E Lozada, 19 A Abadie, 20 A Lalanne, 21 S Fernández, 22 L González Amorosino.
