In his first squad since the World Cup, England head coach Brian Ashton has resisted the temptation to make wholesale changes.

Deprived of the services of four former England captains, Ashton has decided to keep faith with some tried and tested players for the 2008 Six Nations.

But a handful of new names have emerged, with Lesley Vainikolo catapulted into the Test squad after just nine games of rugby union.

And with the likes of Danny Cipriani and Tom Croft also earning call-ups, the side to face Wales on 2 February could well feature some fresh blood.