England coach Stuart Lancaster set to turn to surprise package Calum Clark for Scotland Six Nations opener So it is just a question of giving it time to settle down so Tom can train and play without the danger of making it worse. It's a big call - but it's quite simple really, in that we know he has got to rest and get himself right. It's pointless Tom doing a couple of training sessions and putting himself back again. It will only need an operation if we continue to play him and therefore we made a decision before these last two pool games in the Heineken Cup to start that rest process. When he joins the England camp, England will take over the daily assessment next week and beyond. It will be in their hands although, obviously, they will keep in touch. Mallinder, unlike some, was in no way surprised at Clark's call-up last week having been impressed with a series of big performances earlier in the season, not least away to Munster in the Heineken Cup, before he was sidelined with a broken thumb. That injury was further complicated over Christmas when the thumb became infected around the metal pins but Clark was outstanding in last week's win at Scarlets. Described by Lancaster as "the most competitive player I have ever coached" Clark, whose father Dave played second row for Scotland Schools and West Hartlepool, was spotted by the England interim coach when playing at Barnard Castle School and invited down to the Leeds Academy which Lancaster ran. Something of an expert in circus tricks - he mastered the unicycle as a schoolboy and can juggle while riding it - Clark has the whiff of an old fashioned all-rounder and just a few hours after hearing of his England squad call-up last week was sitting important University exams as part of his Business Management degree. " I suppose my call-up was a big surprise and shock for everybody, me included," says Clark who insists that Saturday will be like any other big game. Every time you go out an play its an opportunity to show what you can do. Last weekend in Wales was a tough environment, against a good Scarlets team who are on the way up. To go there, with Welsh rugby on a high, and win was fantastic and playing against Munster this weekend will be no different. Touch wood, if I come through Saturday without injury I am fully aware that I have an opportunity at the camp next week but its nothing more. I will just work hard in the way I do at Northampton every week.