The world champions play their first post-World Cup Test on home soil this weekend, when Ireland come calling.

But there will be no Jason Leonard in the England ranks after red rose supremo Sir Clive Woodward preferred Bath rookie Stevens to a player with 114 caps and 14 years of international experience.

While the England camp have spent all week playing down suggestions that Leonards remarkable odyssey could be at an end, Stevens - all 19 stones of him - represents life after the veteran Harlequins loosehead.

Woodward rates the uncapped 21-year-old so highly that he has wasted no time pitching him into a match-day 22 at Leonards expense.

And it would be no surprise if Stevens stayed there, such is his potential as one of English rugbys most exciting young talents in recent seasons.

Stevens, a British passport holder who was born in South Africa, has already shown a Twickenham full house what he can do.

After being drafted into the England side for last Decembers non-cap World Cup celebration match against the New Zealand Barbarians when Phil Vickery withdrew injured, he scored a try and performed like a seasoned veteran.

But Saturdays encounter, if he appears off the bench, will be Stevens biggest challenge so far.

The New Zealand Barbarians game was an incredible experience. There was so much euphoria after the World Cup, but there was also a huge feeling in the squad to carry on and improve, he said.

It was an amazing experience for me to come in and play with those guys who had just won the World Cup.

The pace of the game was unbelievable, so there were a few kind of fitness issues that
might have come into it, but I think I have been able to sort those out.

The Six Nations is such a high level of rugby, and it is going to be a huge challenge for me.