 Phil Vickery will lead England out at Twickenham |
England captain Phil Vickery says he will take the field against the Barbarians on Sunday with just as much to prove as any of the emerging players in the side he leads. Vickery has missed much of a glorious season with Gloucester and England due to a back injury which required surgery.
Now he hopes he can regain a regular place in the England side with the World Cup to come later this year.
And he intends to start stating his case with one of his trademark powerhouse performances at Twickenham.
"I want to just get out, get on and hopefully get back in the side and try and be part of a very successful England team this summer," he said.
"It's a massive step. For me personally it's a chance to play another game, and it's a great opportunity for everybody who takes the field regardless of who you are, where you're from or why you're here or who could have played.
ENGLAND'S NEW FACES Lock: Alex Brown (Bristol) Flanker: Michael Lipman (Bristol) No 8: Chris Jones (Sale) Full-back: Dan Scarbrough (Leeds) Wing: Mark Cueto (Sale) |
We have a young side going out who have a lot of points to prove.
"They want to go out and show Clive and the coaching staff and prove to themselves that they can do it and put themselves up for selection for the summer tour."
England will field five uncapped players against a Baa-Baas side whose members have played a collective 1,000 internationals.
Among the new faces is Sale Sharks second row Chris Jones, who will make his debut for England playing out of position at number eight.
"This is a big weekend for a lot of these guys as to what happens next," said England coach Clive Woodward.
"There is not a single player in there who isn't in contention for being on the main trip this summer."
Woodward will be looking particularly closely at full-back Dan Scarbrough, wing three-quarters Mark Cueto and Phil Christophers, along with the back-row forwards.
Among the old hands on duty for England will be veteran Leeds hooker Mark Regan and the vastly experienced Saracens scrum-half Kyran Bracken.
Newcastle's Dave Walder is rewarded for his season-long battle to regain fitness with the number 10 jersey normally worn by club-mate Jonny Wilkinson.
No Bath or Wasps players were considered by England because of their Parker Pen Challenge Cup final appointment on the same day.
England: D Scarbrough (Leeds); M Cueto (Sale Sharks), J Noon (Newcastle), B Johnston (Saracens), P Christophers (Bristol Shoguns); D Walder (Newcastle), K Bracken (Saracens); M Worsley (London Irish), M Regan (Leeds), P Vickery (Gloucester, capt), A Codling (Harlequins), A Brown (Bristol Shoguns), M Corry (Leicester), M Lipman (Bristol Shoguns), C Jones (Sale Sharks).
Replacements: A Titterrell (Sale Sharks), D Flatman (Saracens), H Vyvyan (Newcastle), P Anglesea (Sale Sharks), N Walshe (Sale Sharks), K Sorrell (Saracens), S Amor (Gloucester).
MMIX
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