England begin their revamp

More than half the players named in England head coach Andy Robinson's first squad yesterday played no part in last year's World Cup success, as Clive Woodward's successor starts planning for the 2007 tournament in France.

Though some of last year's squad were not considered because of injury - notably Richard Hill, Stuart Abbott and Simon Shaw - Matt Dawson, the form scrumhalf in England this season, and Mike Catt were omitted.

Shaw, the Wasps lock who injured his neck on England's summer tour, begins his comeback against Calvisano on Saturday, but his return has come too late for his inclusion in the 40-strong squad for the Tests against Canada, South Africa and Australia.

However, other players who recently resumed playing after long-term injuries, the prop Phil Vickery, full back Iain Balshaw and flanker Lewis Moody, have been included, along with the hooker Steve Thompson, who is out of action with a rib injury.

Full back Jason Robinson, centre Will Greenwood and lock Ben Kay, who were all rested in the summer, return to the squad, which contains eight uncapped players, two of whom, the Sale wing Mark Cueto and the Newcastle scrumhalf Hall Charlton, were not in the elite squad announced last August.

"There are some new and young players who deserve a place in the squad," said Robinson. "Injuries have played a factor in the selection, but I am close to deciding my starting 15 for our first match against Canada. We are clearly entering an exciting time."

With Robinson still not discounting his captain, Jonny Wilkinson, for the Tests against South Africa and Australia, he will not consider alternative leaders until the squad gathers on Monday and he is able to determine the fitness of the outhalf, who faces up to five weeks on the sidelines because of an arm injury.

Leadership is a concern for Robinson. The team that won the 2003 World Cup final contained five players who had experience of captaining England: Martin Johnson, Lawrence Dallaglio, Dawson, Wilkinson and Vickery. Only Wilkinson and Vickery were named in yesterday's squad, the latter despite insisting that he was not ready to make a return to the international arena having started only one match since his return from a back problem which required an operation last May. The leadership factor may hasten his return to the fray.

Robinson also has to choose a back row without Dallaglio and Hill, fixtures in the side for most of the professional era. His squad contains two specialist flankers, Moody and the uncapped Gloucester openside Andy Hazell, though Joe Worsley should also enter that category as he is rarely considered a number eight by his country.

James Forrester, yet to make his England debut, and Martin Corry will contest the number eight position, and Hugh Vyvyan and Chris Jones are forwards with experience of both the second and back rows.

ENGLAND SQUAD: I Balshaw, O Barkley, S Borthwick, A Brown, B Cohen, M Corry, H Charlton, M Cueto, L Deacon, H Ellis, J Forrester, A Gomarsall, W Greenwood, D Grewcock, A Hazell, C Hodgson, C Jones, B Kay, A King, J Lewsey, D Luger, L Moody, J Noon, H Paul, M Regan, J Robinson, G Rowntree, A Sheridan, J Simpson-Daniel, M Stevens, S Thompson, M Tindall, A Titterrell, P Vickery, T Voyce, H Vyvyan, J White, J Wilkinson, T Woodman, Joe Worsley.