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England boss makes major changes

Andy Robinson has dropped six players from his England team
Andy Robinson has dropped six players from his England team

England coach Andy Robinson has made sweeping changes for Saturday's second Test against Australia at the Telstra Dome.

Six players are drafted into the side following last weekend's 34-3 thumping in Sydney, while Newcastle back Mathew Tait is switched from centre to wing.

There are call-ups for Tait's Falcons colleague, centre Jamie Noon, Leicester fly-half Andy Goode, Tigers forwards George Chuter and Ben Kay, plus Sale Sharks lock Chris Jones and Wasps flanker Joe Worsley.

Wing Tom Voyce and lock Alex Brown are dropped from the match-day 22 completely, while fly-half Olly Barkley, hooker Lee Mears, lock Louis Deacon and flanker Magnus Lund find themselves demoted to the bench.

Chuter will make his first Test start - he is among five Leicester forwards on duty, including the entire front row - with 34-year-old World Cup winner Mike Catt retained at inside centre for a 67th cap, taking him above Neil Back on England's all-time list.

England are striving to avoid a fifth successive defeat against all opponents, which would be their worst results sequence for more than 20 years.

England: I Balshaw; T Varndell, J Noon, M Catt, M Tait; A Goode, P Richards; G Rowntree, G Chuter, J White, C Jones, B Kay, J Worsley, L Moody, P Sanderson

Replacements: L Mears, T Payne, L Deacon, M Lund, N Walshe, O Barkley, S Abbott

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