Ashton rings the changes

Team News:Head coach Brian Ashton announced 11 changes ahead England's World Cup warm up match against France at Twickenham this Saturday..

Ashton retained only four of the team that thrashed Wales 62-5 last Saturday in his XV for the first of two meetings with the World Cup hosts this month.
   
The changes included a recall for former captain Lawrence Dallaglio at number eight, for his first start since 2004, and flyhalf Jonny Wilkinson, who kicked 17 points last weekend, moved to the replacements's bench.
   
The four survivors of England's record win over the Welsh are Shaun Perry, Andrew Sheridan, Simon Shaw and Mark Regan.
   
Captain Phil Vickery, who limped off at halftime with an ankle injury, has been included on the bench and the experienced Mike Catt takes over as skipper.
   
Two players left out - and probably discarded for the World Cup squad - were forward Dan Ward-Smith and outside centre Mike Tindall, both struggling to prove their fitness following injuries, a knee problem and a broken leg respectively.
   
Flyhalf Charlie Hodgson was also omitted for the second successive week while scrumhalf Richard Wigglesworth is also unlikely to make the cut.
   
Hodgson suffered a serious knee injury in South Africa last November.
   
Ashton is due to announce his squad for the World Cup in France on August 14th, before the second meeting of the double-header between the two countries takes place in Marseille on August 18th.

In the French camp Frederic Michalak and Fabien Pelous should make their long-awaited returns to international action in the Twickenham match.

Fly-half Michalak and lock Pelous, who both missed this year's RBS 6 Nations Championship through injury, have been named in the 22-man Les Bleus squad for the Twickenham showdown.

Should Pelous play, he will make his 111th appearance for his country, equalling the caps record currently held by the great Philippe Sella.

Michalak is set to start at number 10, displacing David Skrela, who should be on the bench to act as cover for both the fly-half and centre positions.

Michalak, who will play for Natal Sharks after the World Cup, has been sidelined with a string of injuries over the past year.

Veteran winger Christophe Dominici does not feature in the squad, with Aurelien Rougerie, Cedric Heymans and Vincent Clerc battling it out for the two wide positions.

Sale number eight Sebastien Chabal is named in the party, but is set to be on the bench acting as cover for the second row and back row.

The French starting XV for Saturday's match is scheduled to be announced on Thursday.

England Team:Nick Abendanon, Paul Sackey, Jamie Noon, Mike Catt (c), Josh Lewsey, Olly Barkley, Shaun Perry, Lawrence Dallaglio, Lewis Moody, James Haskell, Ben Kay, Simon Shaw, Matt Stevens, Mark Regan, Andrew Sheridan.
   
Replacements:Lee Mears, Phil Vickery, Martin Corry, Joe Worsley, Andy Gommarsall, Jonny Wilkinson, Danny Cipriani.
   
France squad:
Backs:Clement Poitrenaud; Aurelien Rougerie, Cedric Heymans, Vincent Clerc, David Marty, Yannick Jauzion, David Skrela, Frederic Michalak, Pierre Mignoni, Jean-Baptiste Elissalde
   
Forwards:Remy Martin, Yannick Nyanga, Serge Betsen, Julien Bonnaire, Sebastien Chabal, Jerome Thion, Fabien Pelous, Dimitri Szarzewski, Raphael Ibanez, Jean-Baptiste Poux, Pieter De Villiers, Olivier Milloud