Flood Is England’s Only Change
Martin Johnson has made one change to his England team – drafting Toby Flood in at out-half – for Saturday’s crunch RBS 6 Nations tie with Ireland at Croke Park (kick-off 5.30pm).
Leicester’s Toby Flood will make his first start of this year’s RBS 6 Nations, having been preferred to Andy Goode at out-half.
Flood played at inside centre in England’s 33-10 defeat of Ireland last year and he last donned the England number 10 jersey against New Zealand in November.
His inclusion is the one and only change Martin Johnson has made to the side that lost 23-15 to Wales last time out.
On the replacements bench, Paul Hodgson of London Irish makes way for Harlequins scrum half Danny Care, who has recovered from an ankle ligament strain.
ENGLAND TEAM & REPLACEMENTS (v Ireland, 2009 RBS 6 Nations Championship, Croke Park, Saturday, February 28, kick-off 5.30pm):
15 – Delon Armitage (London Irish)
14 – Paul Sackey (London Wasps)
13 – Mike Tindall (Gloucester Rugby)
12 – Riki Flutey (London Wasps)
11 – Mark Cueto (Sale Sharks)
10 – Toby Flood (Leicester Tigers)
9 – Harry Ellis (Leicester Tigers)
1 – Andrew Sheridan (Sale Sharks)
2 – Lee Mears (Bath Rugby)
3 – Phil Vickery (London Wasps)
4 – Steve Borthwick (Saracens) (capt)
5 – Nick Kennedy (London Irish)
6 – James Haskell (London Wasps)
7 – Joe Worsley (London Wasps)
8 – Nick Easter (Harlequins)
Replacements:
16 – Dylan Hartley (Northampton Saints)
17 – Julian White (Leicester Tigers)
18 – Tom Croft (Leicester Tigers)
19 – Luke Narraway (Gloucester Rugby)
20 – Danny Care (Harlequins)
21 – Andy Goode (CA Brive)
22 – Mathew Tait (Sale Sharks)