MIKE Catt was last night celebrating a call from the international wilderness to join England's World Cup elite in their quest for global supremacy.

Catt has been handed an early 32nd birthday present, returning to the England fold almost two years after his last Test match appearance.

With rival fly-halves Charlie Hodgson and Alex King both injured, the World Cup door was flung open, allowing Catt an unlikely late entry into England boss Clive Woodward's selection plans.

Catt's most recent England outing was against South Africa at Twickenham in November, 2001, and he spent last season battling incessant injury troubles which restricted him to barely a dozen first team starts for Bath.

But with Woodward requiring a third No 10 behind Jonny Wilkinson and Paul Grayson, he knew exactly where to turn.

Woodward watched the Bath playmaker in his club's opening pre-season friendly against Celtic Warriors, and also studied videotape of Bath's trip to Exeter.

The clincher though, came when Catt, who celebrates his 32nd birthday in 10 days' time, sailed through a rigorous session of fitness work and medical checks last week.

''In a squad like this for the Rugby World Cup, you need three people who can play 10, especially when you consider the tough pool matches we have to play and who we may face in the knockout stages,'' said Woodward.

''Clearly, we've got two in the squad with Jonny and Paul, but we need a third, and we had already lost Charlie Hodgson and Alex King through injury.

''So quite simply, Mike is the next person in,'' added Woodward.

''Although his kicking game is fantastic, he's been out for a long time purely because there have been other players ahead of him, but I've been speaking to him regularly over the last six months and the biggest thing for me was him getting back to full fitness, which he has done.

''Once Alex King was injured, it was a very simple choice.''

Catt's sense of jubilation though, will be in stark contrast to the emotions felt by Woodward's unfortunate five.

After Woodward reduced his 43-man training group to 35 players early last week, another five knew they would not make the final cut.

Leicester trio Austin Healey, Ollie Smith and Graham Rowntree, Gloucester wing James Simpson-Daniel and Wasps lock Simon Shaw won't be travelling Down Under.

But joining Catt on the plane will be his fellow South African-born player, Wasps centre Stuart Abbott.

Abbott, raised in Cape Town but who qualifies for England through his Manchester-born mother, clinched a midfield place on the back of just two Test outings - a try-scoring performance against Wales last month and a solid 60-minute contribution when England crushed France on Saturday.

Earlier this year, Abbott was contacted by Springboks coach Rudolf Straeuli about returning to South Africa and possibly challenging for a World Cup place.

Abbott though, opted to stay put, and there is now the intriguing possibility of him featuring for England against South Africa in a decisive World Cup pool game at Perth on October 18.

Bath speedster Iain Balshaw and Leicester back-row forward Martin Corry also took their opportunities.

Balshaw scored a try against France, and will now return to Australia - scene of his disappointing Lions tour two years ago - alongside fellow back-three players Josh Lewsey, Jason Robinson, Ben Cohen and Dan Luger

Up front, Woodward's preference for four props instead of five ended Rowntree's hopes, but Shaw can consider himself particularly unlucky, with Corry now expected to provide second-row cover.

Corry is one of 16 survivors from England's 1999 World Cup squad, with 106 times-capped prop veteran Jason Leonard selected for his fourth World Cup campaign