Lewsey in Comeback As Woodward Cuts Losses

The Wasps full-back Josh Lewsey will make his Six Nations debut against Italy at Twickenham on Sunday nearly five years after winning his first cap as injuries continue to plague the England head coach Clive Woodward.

Thirteen leading players were not considered for selection and Woodward had a full complement of players in only three positions, fly-half, scrum-half and hooker. With the club season, which runs until the end of May, followed by an England tour down under in June and friendly internationals two months later, there is no respite for the players before the World Cup in October.

Seven of the side which defeated the World Cup holders Australia at Twickenham last November will sit out the Italy international, including Jason Robinson, whose hamstring injury sustained against Wales last month gives Lewsey his chance nearly two years after he won the last of his six caps on a tour to north America.

Woodward is missing his leading two props at both loose-head and tight-head, though Gloucester's Trevor Woodman should be available for the international against Scotland on March 22, and Lewis Moody, Iain Balshaw and Austin Healey will not be available until the summer.

Woodward should have a number of players back for the potential grand slam decider against Ireland at Lansdowne Road at the end of the month, including Martin Johnson, Ben Cohen, Robinson and Neil Back, but a club programme is sandwiched between the internationals against Italy and Scotland.

The Bath centre Mike Tindall, who played in all three of last November's Tests, was recalled yesterday to resume his midfield partnership with Will Greenwood after not being considered for the start of the championship campaign because of injury.

His return, and the decision of Woodward to invest the captaincy in Johnson's absence in Jonny Wilkinson rather than give the fly-half a rest, means a return to the bench for Charlie Hodgson, who played out of position in the centre against France and Wales.

Woodward makes seven changes, one positional, from the side that defeated Wales but only two were voluntary. Matt Dawson, fit again after a thigh injury, becomes England's third scrum-half in three matches and Tindall's recall will see Greenwood move back to inside-centre.

England, who have scored only three tries in their two matches, have missed Dawson's threat around the fringes and he displaces Kyran Bracken who in turn had taken over from Andy Gomarsall in Cardiff. "It was a tight call at scrum-half," said Woodward, "but Matt was superb in the Powergen Cup semi-final on Sunday and he edged it on club form."

Gloucester's James Simpson-Daniel replaces Cohen, Danny Grewcock, who was pushing Ben Kay hard for a place, comes into the second row for Johnson and Joe Worsley starts in the back row in Back's absence which means Richard Hill will have started in all three back-row positions this championship.

The Leicester centre Ollie Smith and the Sale flanker Alex Sanderson are promoted to the bench, along with the Wasps lock Simon Shaw, and all 12 Premiership clubs are represented in the England 22 with the exception of Bristol. Harlequins are the only leading club without a player in the squad for Friday night's A international against Italy in Northampton.

Wilkinson, England's youngest captain since Will Carling started his reign 15 years ago, played down suggestions that England had only to turn up at Twickenham, a ground where they have won their last 19 internationals, against Italy and Scotland to set themselves up for another tilt at the elusive grand slam.

"We have an experienced squad and we are just concentrating on the game against Italy, focusing solely on the opposition," he said. "Leading out the team will be a very special moment for me and it is something I never expected. I am ecstatic that Clive has given me the chance."

England: Lewsey (Wasps); Simpson-Daniel (Gloucester), Greenwood (Harlequins), Tindall (Bath), Luger (Harlequins); Wilkinson (Newcastle, capt), Dawson (Northampton); Rowntree (Leicester), Thompson , Morris (both Northampton), Grewcock (Bath), Kay (Leicester), J Worsley (Wasps), Hill (Saracens), Dallaglio (Wasps). Replacements: Regan (Leeds), M Worsley (London Irish), Shaw (Wasps), Sanderson (Sale), Bracken (Saracens), Hodgson (Sale), Smith (Leicester).