The 20-year-old impressed last season for both Leicester and England Saxons, earning himself the Aviva Premiership Young Player of the Year award.

But after being given the nod to start in the first warm up game by Martin Johnson, Tuilagi insists he is just hoping to help England gain victory rather than focus on personal ambitions.

"I’m really proud to be winning my first cap," Tuilagi said. "There is a lot of competition for places and I just want to take this chance and do the best I can for the team.

“The boys have worked hard during the camp but now we have to perform against Wales."

Alongside Tuiliagi in the centre against Warren Gatland’s Wales will be a returning Riki Flutey, the Wasps man last starring in a Red Rose jersey against France in last year’s RBS 6 Nations.

The duo will play behind Jonny Wilkinson, winning his 86^th cap at fly-half, while Matt Banahan and Delon Armitage have been handed roles in the back three, alongside regular Mark Cueto.

Among the forwards, there are also international returns for Saracen’s prop Matt Stevens, who returns to the England fold for the first time since November 2008, and Tom Croft who last played for Johnson’s side in November last year.

Bath’s Lewis Moody is once again handed the captaincy while James Haskell starts at No.8, with uncapped Saracens lock Mouritz Botha and Gloucester wing Charlie Sharples taking their places on the bench.

15 Delon Armitage - London Irish

14 Matt Banahan - Bath Rugby

13 Manusamoa Tuilagi - Leicester Tigers

12 Riki Flutey - London Wasps

11 Mark Cueto - Sale Sharks

10 Jonny Wilkinson - RC Toulon

9 Danny Care - Harlequins

1 Alex Corbisiero - London Irish

2 Dylan Hartley - Northampton Saints

3 Matt Stevens - Saracens

4 Simon Shaw - London Wasps

5 Tom Palmer - Stade Francais

6 Tom Croft - Leicester Tigers

7 Lewis Moody (C) - Bath Rugby

8 James Haskell - Ricoh Black Rams

Replacements

16 Lee Mears - Bath Rugby

17 David Wilson - Bath Rugby

18 Mouritz Botha - Saracens

19 Tom Wood - Northampton Saints

20 Richard Wigglesworth - Saracens

21 Charlie Hodgson - Saracens

22 Charlie Sharples - Gloucester Rugby