World Cup shock omissions including Rikki Flutey, Theo Walcott, Frank Lampard and Paul Gascoigne

England Rugby coach Martin Johnson announced his 30-man squad for the 2011 World Cup in New Zealand, surprisingly omitting centre Riki Flutey. The New Zealand-born Wasps player was expected to make the squad, yet Flutey became Johnson's most high-profile cut, as the manager explained: "Would I like to have Riki on the plane? Of course I would but we had to make a call. It was tough. He took it well which did not make it easier for me."

The Wasps man joins a list of players who've had to deal with World Cup heartbreak before the tournament's even started…

PAUL GASCOIGNE - WORLD CUP 1998
Glen Hoddle didn't know what he was letting himself in for when he didn't select Paul Gascoigne for the 1998 World Cup. Gazza had been playing well for Rangers and seemed to be winning his battle with addiction. Hoddle thought otherwise and instead decided to take a 19-year-old Rio Ferdinand, which meant he had selected five centre-backs, leaving midfielder Gascoigne as the odd man out. The England manager later released a book in which he described Gazza as acting "like a man possessed" when he was inform of his omission, saying he kicked a table and smashed a vase before being given a valium tablet to calm down.

ANDY COLE - WORLD CUP 1998 & 2002
The prolific Premier League striker missed out on not one, but two World Cup squads. In 1998 Cole blamed manager Glenn Hoddle for his omission, saying: "I wasn't picked by Glenn Hoddle, a manager who, in my view, let personal animosity between us influence a footballing decision." Cole had scored 25 goals for Manchester United the season before the finals in France and seemed certain to be included, only to lose out to Teddy Sheringham, Alan Shearer, Les Ferdinand and an 18-year-old Michael Owen. Then, in 2002, Cole didn't make the cut for Sven-Goran Eriksson's squad, even after being an England regular in the build-up games. Cole blamed his move from Manchester United to Blackburn for his disappointing cut.

Frank Lampard - WORLD CUP 2002
Having earned his England debut in a friendly against Belgium in 1999, it was surprising when, three years later, the Chelsea player was overlooked for the World Cup. Afterwards, Lampard said: "When I didn't go to the finals, I took it upon myself to take more responsibility in games, I needed to become a pivotal figure in the team rather than someone that does well but doesn't control the game." Taking his place in Sven-Goran Eriksson's squad were Owen Hargreaves, Nicky Butt and Paul Scholes, but Lampard would make the Euro 2004 squad and has become a vital part of the team since.

Paul Robinson - WORLD CUP 2010
In recent years England haven't been blessed with a great crop of goalkeepers, but when Fabio Capello left Paul Robinson out of his 2010 World Cup squad in favour of dodgy disasters Rob Green and David James, some people couldn't believe what they were hearing. Playing for Blackburn at the time, his then manager Sam Allardyce waded in, saying: "I am staggered, totally. It is completely the wrong decision. If you look at Paul's form for Rovers, there has not been a better goalkeeper who has been so consistent. It clearly can't be anything else other than Fabio has something else against him, because he has always said the people in form would get selected." Though Robinson's last cap had come in 2007, Capello said he would choose on form and Robinson was definitely that man, as highlighted by Rob Green's embarrassing slip against the USA.

DANNY CIPRIANI - WORLD CUP 2007
Rugby player Cipriani is in danger of becoming more famous for dating Kelly Brook, fighting with team-mates, stealing vodka bottles from clubs… the list goes on. Before all those distractions, full-back Cipriani was touted as the future of English rugby and a potential World Cup squad member in 2007. Cipriani would have made his debut for England at the age of 19 if he had made the cut, but it was deeemed a "little too early" by coach Brian Ashton. Though Cipriani said he wanted "to keep everything going forward" after being told he didn't make the team, his international career has stalled. He now plays in Australia for Mebourne Rebels and finds himself out-of-favour with the England selectors.

Darren Bent - WORLD CUP 2006 & 2010
Bent had been the Premier League's leading English goalscorer for the 2005/06 season while playing for Charlton and still failed to make the England squad for Germany 2006. In the 2009/2010 season Bent was the second highest English leading goalscorer, behind Wayne Rooney, with 24 goals for Sunderland and missed the cut again, when Fabio Capello preferred Emile Heskey as a foil for Wayne Rooney. Unfortunately, Rooney had a poor tournament after recovering from injury and he had little impact in front of goal. The Aston Villa striker has forced his way into the England side on a more regular basis in the Euro 2012 qualifiers, but if he misses another sitter like the one against Switzerland he could find himself facing another summer on the beach next year.

Theo Walcott - WORLD CUP 2010
Sven-Goran Eriksson had taken Walcott to the 2006 World Cup as a shock inclusion, with the unproven 17-year-old failing to make an appearance. Four years later at South Africa 2010, the Arsenal forward was a suprising omission from Fabio Capello's squad. Walcott, who had played regularly for Arsenal and been a part of the pre-World Cup friendlies, was replaced by Shaun Wright-Phillips as the favourred winger, even though he had not been playing well for Man City all season.

Jermain Defoe - WORLD CUP 2006
It was Walcott's inclusion in the 2006 squad that meant Jermain Defoe missed his chance to travel to Germany. The Tottenham striker had been a regular in the build up to England's World Cup campaign and scored nine goals for Spurs in the 2005/2006 Premier League season. Defoe was left behind, while the 17-year-old untested and inexperienced Theo Walcott travelled, failing to make an appearance for the Three Lions despite Michael Owen's group stage injury leaving Eriksson desperately short of strikers.