Head coach Brian Ashton has confirmed the Wasps skipper, who played a pivotal role when England were crowned 2003 world champions, remains in the selection shake-up.

Back-row colossus Dallaglio, capped 77 times, has not started a Test match since June 2004, although he made four substitute appearances during last season's RBS 6 Nations Championship after ending a spell of international retirement.

Ashton said: 'Lawrence has never been out of the frame in terms of our thinking.

'One of the things he brings to the party is the fact he has got very good leadership skills on the field. It may well be we decide that is something we need, come World Cup time.

'In my opinion, I think he played better and better this season once the Heineken Cup knockout stages began.

'He'd not had a great season, by his own admission, up to and including the first part of the Six Nations.'

Dallaglio, 34, helped Wasps land their second European title in four seasons when the Londoners ended Leicester's trophy treble bid at Twickenham last month.

And he must now await Ashton's likely 40-man World Cup training squad announcement on Wednesday week before discovering whether or not he is a realistic challenger to make his third finals tournament.

Many of the players involved during the past fortnight in South Africa will miss out on Ashton's training group, with absent tourists from Leicester, Wasps and Bath returning in their droves.

England then meet up on June 25 ready for a 12-day camp in Portugal prior to August World Cup warm-up clashes with Wales and France.

Ashton added: 'Probably about five of the (World Cup) starting XV are definite, which is not how it should be at this stage of 2007. I am fully aware of that.

'In other positions in the team, it is a question of deciding which of two players is going to make the starting XV. It's not as though we have got five players and then 10 complete blanks, we've got five and then 20 other players.

'In terms of the warm-up games, I think it is quite important we get the combinations we want on the field against America (England's opening World Cup opponents on September 8) to play together as often as possible before then.'