Back to business in England camp
Thursday, 23 November 2000 12:05England boss Clive Woodward has made five changes to his starting line-up for Saturday's Test encounter with Argentina at Twickenham. After the players went on strike over pay earlier this week, it was back to business for the England squad today with two training sessions planned to make up for lost time.
Woodward has handed a first international start to exciting Bath prospect Iain Balshaw, whose super-sub appearance masterminded England's victory over world champions Australia last weekend. Balshaw, whose five previous caps have been as a replacement, relegates his Bath colleague Matt Perry to the bench.
Woodward has recalled wing Ben Cohen, an original selection for the Australian game before withdrawing after his father died, while England's Six Nations captain Matt Dawson is preferred to Kyran Bracken at scrum-half. In the pack, Bath hooker Mark Regan makes his first England start for almost three years in place of Phil Greening, with Saracens prop Julian White chosen above Phil Vickery.
Vickery, Bracken and Perry must content themselves with places among the substitutes. Prop Jason Leonard will win his 86th cap, breaking Rory Underwood's England record, featuring against a country who were England's opponents when Leonard made his Test debut 10 years ago.
Filed by Seán Folan
England team to play Argentina at Twickenham on Saturday.
I Balshaw (Bath); B Cohen (Northampton), M Tindall (Bath), M Catt (Bath), D Luger (Saracens); J Wilkinson (Newcastle), M Dawson (Northampton); J Leonard (Harlequins), M Regan (Bath), J White (Saracens), M Johnson (Leicester, capt), D Grewcock (Saracens), R Hill (Saracens), N Back (Leicester), L Dallaglio (Wasps).
Replacements: D West (Leicester), D Flatman (Saracens), P Vickery (Gloucester), M Corry (Leicester), K Bracken (Saracens), W Greenwood (Harlequins), M Perry (Bath).
