Abbot - ready for new challenge.

By Andrew Baldock, PA Sport Rugby Union Correspondent, Melbourne

Stuart Abbott on Wednesday faced up to one of the toughest individual assignments in England's World Cup campaign - replacing midfield talisman Will Greenwood.

Wasps centre Abbott will make his World Cup debut when England tackle unbeaten rivals and Pool C leaders Samoa under the Telstra Dome's closed roof next Sunday.

During a short England career - he appeared in World Cup warm-up games against Wales and France - Abbott did enough to clinch a place among head coach Clive Woodward's 30-man squad Down Under.

But he is now preparing for a significant double examination as England target taking another major stride towards next month's quarter-finals and beyond.

Cape Town-born Abbott must cope with the huge physical menace of Samoan centres Brian Lima and Terry Fanolua, and also fill Greenwood's midfield void.

Greenwood, currently on compassionate leave in England with his pregnant wife Caro, is not expected to rejoin England's World Cup camp until next week.

And that has handed Abbott an unexpected opportunity, less than six months after he rejected overtures from Springboks coach Rudolf Straeuli to challenge for World Cup recognition with South Africa.

"I didn't think I would be in this position," said 25-year-old Abbott, who qualifies for England through his Manchester-born mother.

"I am looking forward to Sunday, although I've got big boots to fill with Will Greenwood not being here."

Abbott was on standby to face the Springboks in Perth last weekend, had the Greenwood situation taken a sudden turn for the worse and prompted an immediate departure.

"I had an idea of what was going on last week," Abbott added.

"Clive spoke to me on the Thursday, and said Will had a problem back home and that if anything went wrong, then I would be playing."

Abbott, a star performer during Wasps' Zurich Premiership title-winning campaign last season, is the eighth South African-born player to be capped by England. Another of that select band - Bath back Mike Catt - will be a replacement against Samoa.

And while Greenwood, scorer of 28 tries in his 43 Tests, should prove a major force during the latter part of England's World Cup campaign, Abbott can only try and take the chance that has presented itself.

"Obviously, I would like to say that I think I've got a chance of taking Will's place in the side, but I think realistically, he has been playing particularly well and he and Mike Tindall have got a really good partnership going," he said.

"I'm just going to go out there and play to the best of my ability, and hopefully, fill his boots as well as I can.

"We have a structure to play to, and I am just going to play to that. I'm not going to try and do anything flash. If an opportunity arises I will take it, but if not, then I won't.

"We know that physically, the Samoan centres will try and get into us. This is Brian Lima's fourth World Cup, so he is very experienced, and Terry Fanolua is also a big hitter."

"I've played against Terry before for Wasps against Gloucester in the Premiership, and he is a really physical player."

Woodward, meanwhile, confirmed tonight that he had been in contact with Greenwood since he arrived home on Monday.

"I've been in touch with Will," said Woodward. "The good news is that Caro is out of intensive care, and things, touch wood, are looking good.

"We hope to get him back on Monday or Tuesday of next week."

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