England boss Clive Woodward has made five changes to the England side which beat South Africa 20-9 two months ago for Saturday’s Six Nations match against Scotland at Murrayfield. Northampton hooker Steve Thompson takes over from the injured Dorian West, Julian White replaces the injured Phil Vickery while young Leicester lock Ben Kay has been preferred to Danny Grewcock.
Behind the scrum in-form Northampton wing Ben Cohen reclaims a starting berth, with Dan Luger dropping down to the bench. Iain Balshaw has been bracketed with the Harlequins wing, suggesting that Luger still has to prove his fitness following a recent hamstring problem. In midifield, 56-times capped Mike Catt is out after suffering a knee ligament strain during Bath's Heineken Cup quarter-final defeat by Llanelli on Sunday and does not feature among the substitutes. In his place, Mike Tindall forms the centre partnership alongside Will Greenwood.
England team:
J Robinson; A Healey, W Greenwood, M Tindall, B Cohen; J Wilkinson, K Bracken; G Rowntree, S Thompson, J White, M Johnson, B Kay, R Hill, N Back, J Worsley .
Replacements:
M Regan, J Leonard, D Grewcock, M Corry, N Duncombe, C Hodgson, D Luger/I Balshaw.
Filed by Sinéad Kissane
