Croft, who has fought his way back to fitness after a sustaining a serious neck injury, came off the bench last time out against Italy but will take his place alongside skipper Chris Robshaw and Tom Wood in the back row.

Elsewhere, Owen Farrell returns to the side after missing out against the Azzurri with a hamstring injury and resumes his half-back partnership with Ben Youngs – Toby Flood and Danny Care dropping to the bench.

Up front, Joe Marler comes back in for Mako Vunipola at loosehead prop and Joe Launchbury, who had hyper-extended his elbow against Italy, has made a swift recovery and remains in the second row with Geoff Parling.

Lancaster said: “We have come a long way through the QBE series and the Six Nations and we want to finish well on what will be a fantastic occasion in Cardiff.

“It will be a great experience for our English team. Every single player, whether they are in the 23 or not this Saturday, has contributed to getting us in this position and they should be proud of that.

“The support of the country has been great throughout the tournament and I am sure they will be right behind us come 5 o'clock.”

After defeating Italy 18-11, England head to Wales in search of a first RBS 6 Nations Grand Slam in ten years and they will still win the Championship should they lose to their hosts by six points or less.

Any defeat by eight points or more would hand Wales the title while if the Red Dragons win by seven, it would come down to tries scored and Wales currently have seven to England’s five.

ENGLAND

15 Alex Goode (Saracens)
14 Chris Ashton (Saracens)
13 Manusamoa Tuilagi (Leicester Tigers)
12. Brad Barritt (Saracens)
11 Mike Brown (Harlequins)
10 Owen Farrell (Saracens)
9 Ben Youngs (Leicester Tigers)
 

1 Joe Marler (Harlequins)
2 Tom Youngs (Leicester Tigers)
3 Dan Cole (Leicester Tigers)
4 Joe Launchbury (London Wasps)
5 Geoff Parling (Leicester Tigers)
6 Tom Croft (Leicester Tigers)
7 Chris Robshaw (Harlequins) captain
8 Tom Wood (Northampton Saints)

Replacements:
16 Dylan Hartley (Northampton Saints)
17 David Wilson (Bath Rugby)
18 Mako Vunipola (Saracens)
19 Courtney Lawes (Northampton Saints)
20 James Haskell (London Wasps)
21 Danny Care (Harlequins)
22 Toby Flood (Leicester Tigers)
23 Billy Twelvetrees (Gloucester Rugby)