VERSAILLES (Reuters) ¿ Rob Andrew knows a bit about the pressure on an England flyhalf in a big World Cup game and insisted yesterday that Andy Farrell (pictured) could step up to the mark against South Africa despite never having played in the position.

Andrew, whose last-gasp drop goal beat Australia in the 1995 quarter-finals, is now England's elite director of rugby and said their flyhalf crisis offered the rugby league convert a "wonderful opportunity to prove all those doubters wrong".

Farrell was drafted into the starting team for tomorrow's Pool A match after Olly Barkley and Jonny Wilkinson were both ruled out with injuries.

Centre Mike Catt offers the option of a switch but his last international outing at 10 came in 1999 and he has not filled the position in a club game for three years.

Farrell, 32, did a fair amount of goalkicking during his rugby league days but that has been virtually off the menu since his injury-ravaged switch to union, where he has played centre and flanker but never flyhalf.

Andrew, however, said he had no doubts: "He's shown all along that he's got all the attributes in terms of his skills and his decision-making, his kicking and defence," he told a news conference.

"You've all questioned his pace but there have been plenty of flyhalves who have played who don't have great pace," said Andrew, who would happily include himself in the less-than-rapid camp. "Andy would like to prove people wrong on that point.

"We are beginning to see in the warm-up games and in glimpses at the weekend the sort of qualities people have seen in Andy Farrell over the last few years and the reasons he was brought across to rugby union.

"The issue is that he lost his first year of preparation in union through injury and has been playing catch-up ever since."

Farrell was a star of the 13-man code where he won a host of trophies, was first capped at 18, went on to captain Britain and was named the sport's best player.

He switched to union in 2005 in a deal jointly funded by the RFU and his Saracens club but a succession of injuries delayed his union appearance for 18 months and his England debut came only in this year's Six Nations championship.

He has won five more caps since but has failed to make himself an indispensable part of Brian Ashton's backline after a series of sturdy but uninspired midfield displays.

"If ever any one man had an opportunity to show people exactly what he's made of then this is it for Andy (tomorrow) night," Andrew said.

"Inevitably this is a bit of backs to the wall stuff ¿ the captain suspended, two playmakers and goal kickers out injured and we are playing probably the form side of the tournament after week one so clearly it's a huge challenge.

"It's not necessarily just a challenge for Andy but for the whole squad, probably as big as they've ever faced individually or collectively, and I for one believe they will respond."