England coach Clive Woodward has backed Matt Dawson and Steve Thompson to bounce back after he dropped them both for Saturday's second Test against New Zealand. The Northampton World Cup stars are among six players axed following England's 36-3 drubbing in Dunedin last weekend.
"It is not easy for me to leave out two of the World Cup-winning team. They will bounce back very strongly when they are fully fresh of mind and limb."
Their fellow World Cup squad members Mike Catt and Danny Grewcock have also paid the price, together with wing James Simpson-Daniel and flanker Chris Jones.
Into the line-up for Eden Park come wing Tom Voyce, centre Stuart Abbott, scrum-half Andy Gomarsall, hooker Mark Regan, lock Steve Borthwick and flanker Joe Worsley.
Woodward's major act of surgery means that there are just six survivors from the World Cup final starting XV - Josh Lewsey, Ben Cohen, Mike Tindall, Trevor Woodman, Richard Hill and Lawrence Dallaglio - on duty.
England team to play New Zealand: J Lewsey, T Voyce, M Tindall, S Abbott, B Cohen, C Hodgson, A Gomarsall, T Woodman, M Regan, J White, S Shaw, S Borthwick, J Worsley, A R Hill, L Dallaglio.
Filed by Johnny Proby
