England manager Clive Woodward today recalled Gloucester prop Phil Vickery to his starting line-up for this Saturday's Six Nations clash against Ireland at Twickenham.
The Lions tighthead is back in the front-row, after missing the first match with a hand injury, instead of Julian White as the sole change to the team that convincingly beat Scotland 29-3 in the Calcutta Cup on February 2nd.
"This was a tough decision, particularly as Julian White played so well against the Scots nine days ago," Woodward said.
Woodward has made two switches on the bench, preferring fit-again Leicester hooker Dorian West to Bath's Mark Regan and calling up West's club colleague Lewis Moody, with fellow Leicester back-row Martin Corry nursing an ankle injury.
Their Tigers team-mate, lock Martin Johnson, who could face disciplinary action after he punched Saracens hooker Robbie Russell during a Premiership match on Saturday, will captain England for the 22nd time.
England team:Jason Robinson (Sale); Austin Healey (Leicester), Will Greenwood (Harlequins), Mike Tindall (Bath), Ben Cohen (Northampton); Jonny Wilkinson (Newcastle), Kyran Bracken (Saracens); Joe Worsley (Wasps), Neil Back (Leicester), Richard Hill (Saracens); Ben Kay (Leicester), Martin Johnson (Leicester, capt); Phil Vickery (Gloucester), Steve Thompson (Northampton), Graham Rowntree (Leicester Tigers)
Replacements:Dorian West (Leicester), Jason Leonard (Harlequins), Danny Grewcock (Bath), Lewis Moody (Leicester), Nick Duncombe (Harlequins), Charlie Hodgson (Sale), Iain Balshaw (Bath)
AFP