Olly Barkley was given a vote of confidence as the man to fill England's problem inside-centre position after helping Bath hold on for a 12-9 win at Wasps.

With Newcastle's Jamie Noon the latest doubt for the RBS 6 Nations opener against Wales, Barkley is in superb form after moving along the back line from fly-half for his club.

England coach Andy Robinson is running out of midfield options with Jonny Wilkinson, Mike Tindall and Will Greenwood all injured.

Henry Paul is a doubt after his first-half substitution against Australia, and Mike Catt is out of Robinson's 30-strong squad.

That leaves Barkley as the man to fill the position, according to Bath coach John Connolly, who was impressed again as last year's England fly-half proved once again in the Zurich Premiership he can operate at centre.

"He's matured as a player," said Connolly.

"Last year he had so much on his plate. This year he's settled in at 12 very comfortably, and I think he's got a strong chance."

Chris Malone's four penalties earned Bath their victory and moved them up to fourth in the table, and Wasps coach Warren Gatland admitted the Bath pack had dished out "a good old-fashioned hiding" to his forwards at scrum and line-out.

The only downside for the visitors was the suspected broken arm which forced veteran prop David Barnes out of the game in the second half.

Gatland was less happy, meanwhile, with Danny Grewcock after the Bath lock tangled with his former England team-mate Lawrence Dallaglio.

Grewcock appeared to stamp on Dallaglio in the eighth minute.

Gatland said: "We spoke to the referee at half-time, and he said it was a stamping but not a malicious stamping."