Saints hooker Dylan Hartley will start Friday night's England Saxons' game against Ireland A after his try-scoring performance against Italy A last week. Hartley has wrestled the No 2 shirt from Sale's Andy Titterrell in a new-look front row which sees Tim Payne replace Nick Wood.
Sale Sharks and England wing Mark Cueto has also been today named in Jim Mallinder and Dorian West’s team for this fixture at Ravenhill - KO 7.45pm. The fixture will give Malinder and England head coach Brian Ashton the opportunity to assess his fitness upon his return to England duty after injury, having recently recovered from groin and calf problems.
Mallinder said: “We know what Mark is capable of and with him back in the reckoning, this is a good chance for him to regain some match fitness. It’s tough on Nick Abendanon, who I thought had a great game against Italy A.”
Shaun Perry’s man of the match performance against Italy A last week earns him an England recall in place of Gloucester’s Pete Richards, who will wear the Saxons No 9 jersey, and former Great Britain rugby league player Chev Walker gets his first international union start in the centre.
“This is a good chance for us to have a look at Chev. He did well with the little game time he got last week and fully deserves his place.”
With Nick Easter set to make his test debut at the weekend and Tom Rees retained by Ashton in place of the injured Joe Worsley, James Scaysbrook and Jordan Crane retain their back-row berths. In the only change to the back row unit, Sale’s Chris Jones replaces James Haskell at No 6. Newcastle Falcons’ Ben Woods is called up to the replacements bench.
Mallinder concluded: ”We are lucky to have two quality blindside flankers in Chris Jones and James Haskell. Although James played very well for us last week, we felt that as well as giving us another good lineout option, Chris offers us the experience.
“We welcome Ben Woods to the squad. He’s been playing consistently well for Newcastle and will give us back row cover with Nick Easter with Brian and the senior squad.”
England Saxons team to play Ireland A
15 Mike Brown (NEC Harlequins)
14 Mark Cueto (Sale Sharks)
13 Chev Walker (Bath Rugby)
12 Mike Catt (London Irish) captain
11 David Strettle (NEC Harlequins)
10 Shane Geraghty (London Irish)
9 Pete Richards (Gloucester Rugby)
1 Tim Payne (London Wasps)
2 Dylan Hartley (Northampton Saints)
3 Stuart Turner (Sale Sharks)
4 Dean Schofield (Sale Sharks)
5 Alex Brown (Gloucester Rugby)
6 Chris Jones (Sale Sharks)
7 James Scaysbrook (Bath Rugby)
8 Jordan Crane (Leicester Tigers)
Replacements
16 Andy Titterrell (Sale Sharks)
17 Nick Wood (Gloucester Rugby)
18 Ben Woods (Newcastle Falcons)
19 James Haskell (London Wasps)
20 Richard Wigglesworth (Sale Sharks)
21 Olly Barkley (Bath Rugby)
22 Nick Abendanon (Bath Rugby)
