Hooker Dylan Hartley has been rewarded for a strong performance off the bench in the defeat to New Zealand with the starting role in England’s side to take on Australia at Twickenham on Saturday.
The inclusion of the Northampton captain is the only change England have made to the team that started last weekend’s 26-16 defeat.
Steve Thompson drops to the bench where he is joined by veteran Wasps lock Simon Shaw, who has replaced Dave Attwood after recovering from a calf injury.
Hartley made a dynamic impact off the bench against the All Blacks last weekend, scoring his first Test try to spark England’s second-half comeback.
The fiery 24-year-old was arguably fortunate not to have been cited for a challenge on Richie McCaw. But Hartley also added to an impressive scrummaging performance and England will again be targeting the Wallabies’ fragile set-piece.
England dominated Australia’s scrum during the drawn summer Test series and they look a more formidable unit now with Andrew Sheridan back in the side at loosehead prop.
Attwood can consider himself unfortunate to miss out on selection after making a confident international debut against the All Blacks.
England manager Martin Johnson has decided against making any changes to his centre combination, with Mike Tindall and Shontayne Hape to continue their partnership.
Wasps centre Riki Flutey is still recovering from a calf injury.
ENGLAND (v Australia):B Foden (Northampton); C Ashton (Northampton), M Tindall (Gloucester), S Hape (Bath), M Cueto (Sale); T Flood (Leicester), B Youngs (Leicester); A Sheridan (Sale), D Hartley (Northampton), D Cole (Leicester), C Lawes (Northampton), T Palmer (Stade Francais), T Croft (Leicester), L Moody (Bath, capt), N Easter (Harlequins).
Replacements:S Thompson (Leeds), D Wilson (Bath), S Shaw (Wasps), H Fourie (Leeds), D Care (Harlequins), C Hodgson (Sale), D Armitage (London Irish).