Sheridan joins growing injury list

Jonny Wilkinson has avoided being dropped for England's upcoming trip to Italy. The outhalf retains his place, despite producing a poor performance when England slumped 26-19 at home to Wales in their tournament opener.

But giant prop Andrew Sheridan has become England's latest injury casualty. Sheridan, destroyer of the Australian front row during last October's World Cup quarter-final, is replaced by Wasps forward Tim Payne, who wins his sixth cap.

Details of Sheridan's injury will be released at the England training camp in Bath later today.

It is another huge setback for England, especially given the tough battle they can expect from an Italian front row that includes revered Leicester prop Martin Castrogiovanni.

Sheridan joins centre Mike Tindall (bruised liver), wing David Strettle (foot) and flanker Lewis Moody (Achilles), who were all hurt against Wales, together with Moody's replacement, Wasps' Tom Rees (knee ligament).

England head coach Brian Ashton makes five changes following that crushing Twickenham setback - four of them enforced through injuries.

Jamie Noon takes over from Tindall in the midfield alongside Wilkinson and Toby Flood. It will be Noon's first England appearance since a knee injury forced him out of the World Cup last September.

Rugby league recruit Lesley Vainikolo, who went on for Strettle last Saturday, retains his place to gain a first Test start, while back-row switches see Bath flanker Michael Lipman and Harlequins number eight Nick Easter both included.

England: I Balshaw (Gloucester); P Sackey (Wasps), J Noon (Newcastle), T Flood (Newcastle), L Vainikolo (Gloucester); J Wilkinson (Newcastle), A Gomarsall (Harlequins); T Payne (Wasps), M Regan (Bristol), P Vickery (Wasps, capt), S Shaw (Wasps), S Borthwick (Bath), J Haskell (Wasps), M Lipman (Bath), N Easter (Harlequins). Replacements: L Mears (Bath), M Stevens (Bath), B Kay (Leicester), L Narraway (Gloucester), R Wigglesworth (Sale Sharks), D Cipriani (Wasps), M Tait (Newcastle).