Heavyweights Leicester and Wasps will slug it out in a cup semi-final at the Millennium Stadium on Saturday - but most England supporters only have eyes for another eagerly-awaited bout.

English rugby's two most successful clubs of the professional era have served up some epic contests during recent times, notably their pulsating Heineken Cup encounters last season.

This time, they meet in the Powergen Cup, with a place at Twickenham up for grabs on April 9 against Bath or Llanelli Scarlets.

But what about the real talking point of Saturday's afternoon rumble alongside the River Taff?

Answer - Martin Corry versus Lawrence Dallaglio.

This is English rugby's big issue of the moment, with no obvious sign it will go away quietly any time soon.

There was always a possibility that World Cup winner and ex-England captain Dallaglio would overshadow his country's Six Nations Championship campaign once he made himself available again following 17 months in international retirement.

It is hardly Dallaglio's fault of course, given how his ability, reputation and status in English rugby will always command headlines.

England head coach Andy Robinson though, much like former red rose supremo Jack Rowell, has seemingly made a rod for his own back.

Rowell, you might recall, appointed Bath centre Phil de Glanville as England skipper, which suddenly meant no room in midfield for the extravagantly gifted Jeremy Guscott. More than nine years on, Robinson faces a similar conundrum.

Given England's stuttering, tactically-inept display against resurgent Scotland at Murrayfield five days ago, Robinson is under pressure to make changes for a Paris appointment with France on Sunday week that will make or break them as Six Nations title contenders.

Current England captain Corry has been substituted twice in three games during this season's tournament - on both occasions with more than 15 minutes remaining - and each time he was replaced by Dallaglio.

So, what happens next?

Robinson has got to get it right at Stade de France. Does he, therefore, drop the leader he has instilled so much faith and public confidence in and hand Dallaglio the number eight shirt? Does he find a place for both of them in a reshuffled back-row that might see Corry at blindside flanker? Or does he retain Corry and keep Dallaglio on the bench?

If he takes the second option of the three, then Joe Worsley or Lewis Moody - two players with huge roles to play during England's 2007 World Cup campaign - will drop out.

Robinson's major back-row strife is caused by the fact he does not possess an out-and-out openside flanker in a Neil Back mould, although it is mystifying how potential stars of the future Tom Rees and Magnus Lund have not had a Six Nations sniff this season.

Corry would be the last person on the planet demanding sympathy, but it is impossible not to feel sorry for him at present.

Anyone who doubts his leadership qualities should have been watching when he successfully steered Leicester away from all kinds of grief as they hovered on the verge of damaging defeats against Heineken Cup opponents Stade Francais and the Ospreys earlier this term.

As Leicester boss Pat Howard so accurately pointed out this week, Corry is a man for a crisis, so why on earth would Robinson want to take off his captain when the Calcutta Cup's destiny was balanced on a knife-edge?

When Corry departed, England trailed only 12-9, so it was hardly a lost cause. You suspect though, the second Corry began trudging away towards the touchline, Scotland knew they had struck a significant psychological blow.

It was not as if Dallaglio arrived and played like a world-beater either, yet Corry still could not escape during the post-match media interviews.

Addressing the assembled hacks in company with fly-half Charlie Hodgson, there was suddenly a significant migration of scribblers to another corner of the room where, just 10 feet away, stood Dallaglio.

Corry was effectively left talking to himself, while Dallaglio held court. Again, not Lawrence's fault, just journalists understanding which option their headline writers prefer.

Robinson, at every given opportunity so far, has supported Corry as leader, but one feels he needs to make another public pronouncement next week after his players have assembled at their Surrey training base.

England have got enough on their plate at the moment without the raging Corry/Dallaglio debate accompanying them to Paris.

On current form for club and country, you could argue whether Dallaglio is actually worth a place in England's 22 when the likes of Rees and the bafflingly under-used Sale Sharks forward Chris Jones are around.

Dallaglio in top gear is a totally different scenario, yet at the moment it is questionable what he actually offers England.

If he is appearing off the bench and demolishing the opposition in true impact fashion then fine, but he is not.

Corry's position as captain, meanwhile, continues to be undermined by his presence and Robinson's tendency to replace the skipper, rather than Worsley or Moody, when he feels impetus and inspiration is required.

Saturday's little tussle will ensure Corry and Dallaglio remain in the spotlight, but Robinson then needs to turn the dimmer switch and tone things down by backing his captain to the hilt.

Corry has a 75 per cent success-rate over eight Tests since he took the reins, compared with England's distinctly average 50 per cent win ratio, post-2003 World Cup.

That Corry should consistently find himself in the firing line, therefore, is unfair and unsatisfactory.