Worsley steps in for Armitage
Steffon Armitage is dropped in favour of Joe Worsley at flanker
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Tuesday, 10, Feb 2009 11:18
Wasps flanker Joe Worsley has been called into the England team for the Six Nations showdown against Wales with youngster Steffon Armitage dropped altogether.
Despite a promising debut at Twickenham last weekend, the London Irish open-side fails to make the matchday 22 for the Cardiff trip.
With team manager Martin Johnson opting for experience for the high-pressure Millennium Stadium clash, fit-again centre Mike Tindall is also recalled in place of Newcastle Falcons' Jamie Noon.
Noon stepped in as a last-minute replacement for Tindall after the Gloucester man was ruled out with a back injury during the week leading up to last week's opener against Italy.
But he makes way after the 2003 World Cup winner was given the all-clear by the medical team and resumed training yesterday.
Brive fly-half Andy Goode is rewarded for a solid display against the Italians and keeps his place alongside man-of-the-match Harry Ellis in the halfbacks.
Injured Harlequins number nine Danny Care is still out, so elite squad newcomer Paul Hodgson replaces Northampton's Ben Foden on the bench.
Leicester Tigers back Toby Flood, who was expected to challenge for the number ten shirt during the 2009 Six Nations, is also named among the replacements after failing to recover from injury in time to take part last weekend.
Other than the change at flanker, the England pack remains unchanged with Worsley's Wasps team-mate James Haskell keeping his place at blind-side flanker despite an indisciplined showing in the last game.
Sale Sharks winger Mark Cueto remains at number 11 with Riki Flutey at 12. Paul Sackey and Delon Armitage complete the backs division at right wing and full-back, respectively.
Full England team to face Wales:
15. Delon Armitage (London Irish)
14. Paul Sackey (Wasps)
13. Mike Tindall (Gloucester Rugby)
12. Riki Flutey (Wasps)
11. Mark Cueto (Sale Sharks)
10. Andy Goode (Leicester Tigers)
9. Harry Ellis (Leicester Tigers)
1. Andrew Sheridan (Sale Sharks)
2. Lee Mears (Bath Rugby)
3. Phil Vickery (Wasps)
4. Steve Borthwick (Saracens, captain)
5. Nick Kennedy (London Irish)
6. James Haskell (Wasps)
7. Joe Worsley (Wasps)
8. Nick Easter (Harlequins)
Replacements
16. Dylan Hartley (Northampton Saints)
17. Julian White (Leicester Tigers)
18. Tom Croft (Leicester Tigers)
19. Luke Narraway (Gloucester Rugby)
20. Paul Hodgson (London Irish)
21. Toby Flood (Leicester Tigers)
22. Mathew Tait (Sale Sharks)