England have announced their squad of 22 players to face Wales this weekend in Saturday’s opening match of RBS 6 Nations 2010.
Below is the RFU’s official release on the team selection for the match, which kicks off at 5pm on Saturday 6th february 2010.
The match will be shown live in cinemas across the country in 3D for the first time ever.
Delon Armitage (London Irish), Riki Flutey (CA Brive) and Nick Easter (Harlequins) are back in the England starting line-up for the opening game of the 2010 RBS 6 Nations against Wales at Twickenham Stadium (5pm).
Full back Armitage, centre Flutey and No.8 Easter return after injuries ruled them out of the Investec Challenge Series last November. The side shows six changes from the one that started England’s last international against New Zealand.
Mathew Tait (Sale Sharks) – who celebrates his 24th birthday on the day of the game – forms a new centre pairing with Flutey, Danny Care (Harlequins) takes over from Paul Hodgson (London Irish) at scrum half and David Wilson (Bath Rugby) returns at tight head.
The replacements include uncapped Leicester Tigers prop Dan Cole. Also on the bench is Leicester Tigers fly half Toby Flood, another player back in the squad after injury ruled him out of the autumn programme.
ENGLAND TEAM
15 Delon Armitage (London Irish)
14 Mark Cueto (Sale Sharks)
13 Mathew Tait (Sale Sharks)
12 Riki Flutey (CA Brive)
11 Ugo Monye (Harlequins)
10 Jonny Wilkinson (RC Toulon)
9 Danny Care (Harlequins)
1 Tim Payne (London Wasps)
2 Dylan Hartley (Northampton Saints)
3 David Wilson (Bath Rugby)
4 Simon Shaw (London Wasps)
5 Steve Borthwick (Saracens, captain)
6 James Haskell (Stade Francais)
7 Lewis Moody (Leicester Tigers)
8 Nick Easter (Harlequins)Replacements
16 Steve Thompson (CA Brive)
17 Dan Cole (Leicester Tigers)
18 Louis Deacon (Leicester Tigers)
19 Steffon Armitage (London Irish)
20 Paul Hodgson (London Irish)
21 Toby Flood (Leicester Tigers)
22 Ben Foden (Northampton Saints)
