Simpson-Daniel gets first cap

ENGLAND V NEW ZEALAND: James Simpson-Daniel will make his Test debut on the England right wing against New Zealand at Twickenham on Saturday. The 20-year-old Gloucester player was suitably impressed with his elevation.

"It will probably sink in tonight when I am lying in bed and have a chance to think about it," he said. "Clive Woodward has confidence in me and I will . . . try not to let anyone down."

The days when England coach Woodward could consult his erstwhile assistant John Mitchell before big selection decisions are obviously gone, but the latter may thank his old colleague for selecting Simpson-Daniel, if only because Jonah Lomu will want to redeem himself after being embarrassed by the same elusive opponent in May while playing for the Barbarians.

Simpson-Daniel, a product of the same Sedbergh School rugby academy as Will Carling and Will Greenwood, made his Gloucester debut less than two years ago.

There are other elements of the starting line-up which will also fascinate the All Blacks. Richard Hill, winning his 50th cap, is undoubtedly playing better than any other flanker in Britain and Lewis Moody has proved his worth at Test level, but omitting Neil Back is a big call.

At 33, the Leicester flanker will hope Woodward is planning to rotate his starting line-up in the autumn Tests. Andy Gomarsall, edged out by Matt Dawson at scrum-half, is another in that category and, even though Danny Grewcock and Martin Johnson will start on Saturday, Ben Kay remains very much in the frame.

Woodward will explain his choice publicly today, but his bench options were slightly affected by injury. Mike Catt, who has a strained hamstring, and Graham Rowntree, struggling with a thigh muscle problem, were unfit for selection and replaced at training yesterday by Dan Scarbrough and David Flatman.

Catt should be fit for consideration to face Australia on Saturday week, but Rowntree is rated "unlikely" to play any part in the series, news that will interest Trevor Woodman.

His form at loosehead prop for Gloucester has already ensured a proud day for Cornish rugby which can now claim to have reared two-thirds of England's front-row. Woodman first met Phil Vickery when his Liskeard side played Bude in the Cornwall Schools' cup final and the pair have since become firm friends and house-mates.

Meanwhile, France's Tony Marsh will miss their Tests against South Africa and New Zealand after being ruled out for at least three weeks by a groin injury. The New Zealand-born centre will be replaced by Toulouse's Xavier Garbajosa.

Guardian Service

England v New Zealand

Twickenham, Saturday

15 Jason Robinson (Sale)

14 James Simpson-Daniel (Gloucester)

13 Will Greenwood (Harlequins)

12 Mike Tindall (Bath)

11 Ben Cohen (Northampton)

10 Jonny Wilkinson (Newcastle)

9 Matt Dawson (Northampton)

1 Trevor Woodman (Gloucester)

2 Steve Thompson (Northampton)

3 Phil Vickery (Gloucester)

4 Martin Johnson (Leicester, capt)

5 Danny Grewcock (Bath)

6 Lewis Moody (Leicester)

7 Richard Hill (Saracens)

8 Lawrence Dallaglio (Wasps)

REPLACEMENTS

Mark Regan (Leeds)

Jason Leonard (Harlequins)

Ben Kay (Leicester)

Neil Back (Leicester)

Austin Healey (Leicester)

Ben Johnston (Saracens)

Tim Stimpson (Leicester)