Mathew Tait was recalled by England on Tuesday as manager Martin Johnson looked to sharpen the team's attacking edge for Saturday's Six Nations opener against Wales at Twickenham.
Tait was one of six changes, four behind the scrum, made by 2003 World Cup winning captain Johnson to the team beaten 19-6 by New Zealand at Twickenham last time out in November.
Tait, selected at outside centre, will partner New Zealand-born Riki Flutey, fit after a shoulder injury, in midfield after Johnson dropped Ayoola Erinle and Danny Hipkiss from the team that played the All Blacks.
Delon Armitage, who was also sidelined in November by shoulder problems, returns at full-back after seeing off a challenge from the uncapped Ben Foden while Danny Care replaces Paul Hodgson at scrum-half.
Mark Cueto moves across from full-back to his more accustomed right wing berth with Matt Banahan, who played against New Zealand, dropped.
Up front, fit-again Nick Easter returns at No 8 in a revamped back-row, while David Wilson starts in the front row in place of Duncan Bell.
Saturday's match will see Tait, who'll be celebrating his 24th birthday, make only his second England start since the 2007 World Cup final defeat by South Africa, where his searing break almost led to a try.
Of his 32 caps, only 15 have come as a starting player with Tait having suffered for being known as a ‘utility back’ and being regarded as too lightweight for Test rugby after being dumped on his back on his debut as an 18-year-old by Wales centre Gavin Henson in 2005.
But he has thrived this season in midfield for Newcastle.
And with Johnson, who has overseen just six wins from his 14 Tests in charge, admitting he was ‘over-prescriptive’ in his instructions in November, he will have a key role in livening up a ponderous attack that managed just one try in three matches during the November Tests.
‘There's always been a lot of speculation about Mat in my time in charge,’ Johnson told reporters at England's training base here on Tuesday.
‘Mat has got a very strong all-round game in attack and with his kicking ability. His defence is under-rated. This is a good opportunity for Mat to get in there and play.
‘He's been through a heck of a lot,’ Johnson added. ‘He's only coming up to 24, he's a bright, mature guy.
‘The temptation with young players is they think they have to do something special because it's Test rugby but he'll play the situation on its merits.’
Tait added: ‘It's nice to get the nod to start. There's massive excitement.’
He said playing regularly at 13 had been of huge benefit.
‘It makes a big difference. You start to read things a lot better, attacking wise and defence wise.’
As for his failure to cement a place in the team since the last World Cup final, Tait said: ‘It's frustrated me that I've not managed to kick on.
‘I probably took it for granted I would be involved and it was a kick up the backside maybe to refocus and nail down a position.
‘Maybe I did take it for granted I would be involved automatically, which is a very daft thing to do and disrespectful to guys like Danny Hipkiss.
‘It's been a tough couple of years but it's made me realised how much I want to be involved. Now I've just got to grasp the opportunity with both hands.’
Meanwhile Johnson said he was happy to have the likes of Armitage, Easter and Flutey fit and available.
‘It is good to get them back,’ said Johnson. ‘With Riki and Delon, we picked them all through last year and they took their chance.
‘Nick's leadership has been vital for us. He is a strength in that area and it is nice to get him back because he is playing well for Harlequins.’
Tait will have inside him at outside-half his former Newcastle colleague Jonny Wilkinson, who was much criticised in November for failing to put England on the front foot.
But England backs coach Brian Smith said: ‘Wilko is a class player, he can play any way we want him to play and we are confident he will get the job done this weekend.’
Second row Steve Borthwick retains the captaincy and will pack down alongside Simon Shaw as England look to avoid a fourth straight defeat against Wales.
Warren Gatland, the Wales coach, was due to announce his team last weekend but he is now waiting on the outcome of full-back Lee Byrne's appeal on Tuesday against a two-week ban for briefly appearing as an illegal 16th man during the Ospreys' European Cup win over Leicester.
Saturday's match marks the centenary of the first Test at Twickenham, when England played Wales in 1910.
England team to play Wales in the RBS 6 Nations championship at Twickenham on Saturday, kick-off 5pm:
D Armitage (London Irish); M Cueto (Sale Sharks), M Tait (Sale Sharks), R Flutey (Brive), U Monye (Harlequins); J Wilkinson (Toulon), D Care (Harlequins); T Payne (Wasps), D Hartley (Northampton), D Wilson (Bath), S Shaw (Wasps), S Borthwick (Saracens, capt), J Haskell (Stade Francais), L Moody (Leicester), N Easter (Harlequins).
Replacements: S Thompson (Brive), D Cole (Leicester), L Deacon (Leicester), S Armitage (London Irish), P Hodgson (London Irish), T Flood (Leicester), B Foden (Northampton).
