Foden was named top young player at the recent PRA awards

Northampton full-back Ben Foden is hoping to overtake Delon Armitage for the England starting berth this summer.

The 23-year-old was named in Martin Johnson's 34-man squad to face the Barbarians at Twickenham this month and for the two Tests against Argentina.

Foden told BBC Radio Northampton: "If I was him I'd be disappointed to have missed out on the Lions tour.

"But I'm looking forward to throwing down the gauntlet to him over the next couple of weeks," he added.

Foden, who received his first and only senior cap in the 2009 Six Nations clash with Italy at scrum-half, knows that he has his work cut out to replace the London Irish full-back.

"He was one of the stand-out players for England in the Six Nations Championship," said Foden.

But the former Sale Shark added hopefully: "There's still a chance he might go with the Lions."

Foden is joined in the England squad by Saints team-mate Dylan Hartley, while ex-Northampton star Steve Thompson has earned a recall.

And fly-half Stephen Myler was named in the England Saxons for the Churchill Cup.

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