Experienced backs Mike Tindall and Mark Cueto were recalled to England’s 32 man squad ahead of the Six Nations by team manager Martin Johnson on Wednesday.
Gloucester centre Tindall, a World Cup-winner alongside then England captain Johnson in 2003, took the place of Dan Hipkiss, who has a hamstring injury, while Sale wing Cueto was called up in place of Olly Barkley.
Northampton scrum-half Ben Foden, the only uncapped player in the squad, replaced reserve No 9 Peter Richards and Gloucester full-back Olly Morgan was recalled.
Foden, 23, who can also play at full-back, is one of five selection changes in all to the original England squad announced by Johnson in July.
Harlequins duo Ugo Monye (wing) and Nick Easter (No 8), who both played during England’s November series after being called up as injury replacements, retained their places ahead of James Simpson-Daniel and Jordan Crane respectively.
Johnson is still considering possible injury replacements for Wasps forwards Tom Palmer and Tom Rees, who are both in the squad, but currently sidelined from competitive action.
In his first matches as England boss, Johnson went with a largely youthful squad during a November series where the side were well-beaten at Twickenham by Australia before being thrashed by world champions South Africa and then New Zealand.
He repeatedly insisted he had no alternative but, having fielded six debutants in November, including four in the same match, the former lock now appears set to redress a perceived imbalance in the make-up of his side.
Tindall, a World Cup-winning team-mate of Johnson has been in good club form of late as has Cueto, a member of the England side that lost the 2007 World Cup final to the Springboks in Paris.
Cueto, who has scored five tries in his last four games and has a Test record of 13 in 24.
England will fly to Portugal for one week’s training on January 25.
Last year’s runners-up, England begin their Six Nations campaign at home to Italy on February 7.
England squad
Backs
Delon Armitage (London Irish), Danny Care (Harlequins), Danny Cipriani (Wasps), Mark Cueto (Sale), Harry Ellis (Leicester), Toby Flood (Leicester), Ben Foden (Northampton), Riki Flutey (Wasps), Shane Geraghty (London Irish), Ugo Monye (Harlequins), Olly Morgan (Gloucester), Jamie Noon (Newcastle), Paul Sackey (Wasps), Mathew Tait (Sale), Mike Tindall (Gloucester)
Forwards
Steve Borthwick (Saracens), George Chuter (Leicester), Tom Croft (Leicester), Nick Easter (Harlequins), Dylan Hartley (Northampton), James Haskell (Wasps), Nick Kennedy (London Irish), Lee Mears (Bath), Lewis Moody (Leicester), Luke Narraway (Gloucester), Tom Palmer (Wasps), Tim Payne (Wasps), Tom Rees (Wasps), Simon Shaw (Wasps), Andrew Sheridan (Sale), Matt Stevens (Bath), Phil Vickery (Wasps)
Join The Roar rugby editor Christy Doran, former Wallaby Matt Toomua and a cast of regular and special guests as they look at the biggest issues in the game on The Roar Rugby Podcast. If you’re looking for great odds on the next game check out Aussie bookmaker PlayUp. Chances are you’re about to lose. Set a deposit limit.
Unfortunately, the only criteria for this Dream XV are that you had to have passed away. During my research, I thought of potential players…
Rassie Erasmus will coach champions South Africa to the 2027 Rugby World Cup, with former Ireland hooker Jerry Flannery added to the technical team…
What goes up must come down, right? As the kicking game in rugby has continued to progress and progress over the last few years,…
South Africa's director of rugby Rassie Erasmus has been admitted to hospital after a freak accident left him with chemical burns. Erasmus, who has…
Rugby has had some ridiculous kickers. The ability and skill with the boot can turn the course of a play, a scoreline, or a…
Thieves have touched the William Webb Ellis trophy during a break-in at South African Rugby Union's HQ but thankfully decided against swiping the World…
