Doran-Jones set for England bow
Guinness Premiership rookie Paul Doran-Jones is set to make his England debut against Argentina on Saturday after David Wilson was ruled out with a neck injury.
Doran-Jones, 24, has played just 266 Premiership minutes for Gloucester since making a summer move to Kingsholm from Championship club London Welsh.
The England management turned to Doran-Jones, a former Wellington College schoolmate of James Haskell, as their propping crisis deepened further. England are now without four of their leading tighthead options - Phil Vickery, Julian White, Jason Hobson and Wilson - plus first-choice loosehead Andrew Sheridan.
To make matters worse, Bath's veteran prop David Barnes joined that extended injury list on Tuesday when he damaged a knee in training at England's Pennyhill Park base.
Almost by virtue of being the last man standing, Doran-Jones is set to be named on the bench to cover both sides of the scrum as England gear up for a showdown with the Pumas, one of the toughest packs in world rugby.
Martin Johnson will confirm his side at midday on Wednesday but it appears Duncan Bell, who replaced Wilson off the bench last weekend, will make his first Test start since 2005 with Tim Payne remaining on the loosehead.
Argentina's likely front row boasts the formidable scrummaging unit of Mario Ledesma, Rodrigo Roncero and Martin Scelzo.
But England scrum coach Graham Rowntree is confident Doran-Jones has the ability to make what would be a giant step from the foothills of a Premiership career into a Test match.
"The other coaches didn't know what he looked like until Sunday night but I have been watching Paul all season," said Rowntree. "He can play both sides of the scrum and I think he is a true prospect for the future.
"We could be playing against easier scrums this weekend for sure, it is the deep end. Paul is the next guy in and we get on with it. It is a big step up but Paul is good enough and that is what we will be telling him.
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