If rugby players perform best with a little tension in the air then Joe Worsley is in line for man of the match when England take on Samoa in their crucial World Cup encounter in Nantes tomorrow.

The Wasps flanker has been fingered frequently as the weak link in England's line-out.

He was made the scapegoat for some poor decisions in one of the warm-up defeats against France.

He played in the unimpressive win against America, but was then dropped from the 22 against South Africa.

Now he finds himself back in the number seven jersey with head coach Brian Ashton urging him to "Stand up and be counted".

The last few weeks for Worsley have not been dissimilar from a ride on Blackpool's big dipper.

And if he contents himself with calling it "topsy-turvy" then there is a simmering undertone to his description.

He denies there is an anger raging inside him but there is clearly a sense of injustice.

"It is just wanting to get things right," is how he puts it. "You get a bit annoyed when you don't get picked but you find out why, take it on the chin and try to work things out.

"Yeah, you have your personal issues, but at the moment they are superseded by the team's. We've got to get that sorted out.

"I've always been cold-minded, I try not to let emotions rule what I do."

That has not always been the case. Back in 2003 at the World Cup he was torn off a strip by then England head coach Clive Woodward and forced to apologise for applauding the England crowd as he walked off after being sin-binned for a high tackle in England's 111-13 win over Uruguay.

Back at the 1999 World Cup he admits being physically sick before games, so emotionally tense did he become.

Worsley said: "I have learned that doesn't help. You want adrenalin running through your body but you don't want to be anxious at all. Over the years experience helps you to deal with nerves and I have now been round the block on numerous occasions."

Round the block to the extent of being a triple winner in the Premiership, a double winner of the Heineken Cup and the owner of a Powergen Cup winner's medal. The MBE also adorns the Worsley household courtesy of the World Cup win in 2003, even if he was more a reserve to the golden back row triumvirate of Back, Hill and Dallaglio.

So why is it that after 61 caps there are still as many questions as answers?

"Coaches have their reasons and the line-out has been the reason," he said. "I don't agree, but it's not up to me. It's their call and that's fine.

"In the last four years I've been left out four or five times and it's been for that reason. I have been lucky enough to get called up this week and I want to be playing the big games. Watching that South Africa game was a huge disappointment. You always want to play for England and get stuck in."

Worsley, no mean tackler himself, will get that chance tomorrow when he faces the most fearsome big hitters in the game. The Samoans proved that in a stirring first half in their opening pool match against South Africa, even if they did let themselves down last weekend with an unexpected defeat to Tonga.

And Worsley still remembers first hand the fright they gave England four years ago, when they led at half-time in what eventually turned out to be a 35-22 victory to the red rose.

"They are fine specimens for playing rugby," Worsley said. "They are phenomenal athletes. It's nice to have some experience of it because it would be a hell of a shock if it came out of the blue.

"Unless your mind-set is right going into the game you are going to struggle when it comes to those collisions.

"When a 125kg man running sub 11 seconds is hurtling at you, you've got to be right on the ball.

"If Samoa come out like they did in the first half against South Africa then it will be one hell of a game. I just hope we improve and show some direction."

If not, Worsley will not be the only tense Englishman in Nantes.

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