Shontayne Hape will attempt to succeed where the likes of Lesley Vainikolo and Henry Paul have failed in the past, after being summoned into the England squad for the forthcoming Six Nations. The Bath centre won 14 caps for New Zealand's rugby league side before switching codes in 2008, and is the major surprise in Martin Johnson's 32-man squad for the competition. England have proved eager to blood Anglicised league converts from the southern hemisphere in the past. Yet the haste with which Vainikolo - a close friend of Hape's - and Paul were then discarded by the national team should also serve as a warning to the powerful 28-year-old New Zealander. Another player who has caught the eye after switching codes, the Northampton winger Chris Ashton, has also earned a maiden call-up following his rich vein of try-scoring form in the Guinness Premiership.
Courtney Lawes, the Northampton lock, is also part of the squad, but clubmate Shane Geraghty, has to be content with a place in the second-string England Saxons. Delon Armitage, Riki Flutey, Toby Flood and Nick Easter are all back in the fold after missing England's disappointing autumn international campaign through injury. Ben Foden, Ashton's colleague in the back three at Franklin's Gardens, has also been granted a place in the squad following a string of eye-catching displays this season. Foden's outstanding form has also been rewarded with a new contract from his club. Since joining the club from Sale in 2008 he has been transformed from a promising scrum-half into one of the Guinness Premiership's leading full-backs. He credits his form to Jim Mallinder, the coach who he followed to Northampton. Foden said: "He's a former full back but he let me choose my own path. "Now I'm playing full-back he's now giving me direction and help in how to develop. All of the coaches are very good at managing players and I'm looking forward to where they're taking the team in the future." @Email:pradley@thenational.ae
