Woodward predictably retained the starting line-up on duty when Calcutta Cup opponents Scotland were beaten 40-9 at Twickenham three days ago.

But he has made two alterations on the bench, calling up 35-year-old Leicester hooker Dorian West instead of Mark Regan, and preferring Saracens scrum-half Kyran Bracken to Andy Gomarsall.

Martin Johnson will captain England for the first time in a Grand Slam game, while scrum-half Matt Dawson - skipper on failed assignments against Scotland three years ago and Ireland 18 months later - wins his 50th cap.


England team: J Lewsey (Wasps); J Robinson (Sale Sharks), W Greenwood (Harlequins), M Tindall (Bath), B Cohen (Northampton); J Wilkinson (Newcastle), M Dawson (Northampton); G Rowntree (Leicester), S Thompson (Northampton), J Leonard (Harlequins), M Johnson (Leicester, capt), B Kay (Leicester), R Hill (Saracens), N Back (Leicester), L Dallaglio (Wasps).

Replacements: D West (Leicester), T Woodman (Gloucester), D Grewcock (Bath), J Worsley (Wasps), K Bracken (Saracens), P Grayson (Northampton), D Luger (Harlequins).