Brive centre Flutey suffered a thigh injury in training on Thursday meaning that Flood takes on the No.12 shirt and Bath’s uncapped rugby league convert Shontayne Hape is promoted to the bench.

Flood, 24, plays this club rugby at fly-half for Leicester Tigers but Johnson insists he’s the man to fill England’s crucial midfield position.

“It is a blow because we picked Riki to play but the good thing is that Toby can play Test rugby in two positions,” said Johnson.

“He has played a lot of Test rugby at 12. He played in a World Cup final. He is an experienced Test player now.

“He has a good kicking game, he is very strong defensively, he can carry the ball well and can off-load.

“He has a good all-round game to play at 10 and 12 at this level.

“Of course you don’t want to lose a guy on a Thursday when you have picked him, but it happens in rugby.”