Johnson has left Vainikolo out of his 32-man squad for next month's two-Test tour of New Zealand, along with fellow Six Nations regulars Iain Balshaw and Simon Shaw and experienced internationals Josh Lewsey and Mark Cueto.

A legend at Bradford Bulls after scoring 149 tries in 152 games, Vainikolo switched to rugby union amid great fanfare and was tipped to emulate the impact of Jonah Lomu. However, the New Zealand-raised wing made little impression in five Six Nations matches, failing to break tackles as he did in his Odsal days and committing uncharacteristic handling errors.

Johnson, never less than ruthless during a playing career in which he led England to the World Cup, made it clear that he had reservations about the 29-year-old's fitness.

"We will be catching up with Lesley as a management and fitness team over the summer to try and improve him as a player," said Johnson, who explained that former Leeds full-back Balshaw had fallen behind Harlequins' Mike Brown in the pecking order.

Otley-born Mike Tindall lost out to Bath lock Steve Borthwick in the battle to be named captain in the absence of Phil Vickery, who is undergoing knee surgery in the summer. Tindall's injury record and his recent drink-driving charge will have counted against him.

"Steve is very well respected among the squad, an established international player and a very good leader," said Johnson.

However, Tindall will travel and there was good news for several other Yorkshiremen and former Yorkshire-based players, with Danny Care, Charlie Hodgson, Jamie Noon, Tom Palmer and David Strettle included, although James Simpson-Daniel once again requires an operation.

Leeds-born Care is one of six uncapped players in the squad, alongside Northampton hooker Dylan Hartley, Bristol prop Jason Hobson and London Irish trio Topsy Ojo, Nick Kennedy and David Paice.

Care, 21, who moved to Harlequins when Leeds were relegated two years ago, has been the Premiership's form scrum-half since the turn of the year and has an opportunity to overtake Richard Wigglesworth and establish himself as England's first-choice No 9 in the injury-enforced absence of Harry Ellis. Peter Richards, back after missing the Six Nations, is also in the mix.

"I didn't expect to be in it," said Care. "Playing for England is a massive honour and playing against New Zealand will be unbelievable."

Palmer, who spent eight seasons in Leeds's second-row until 2006, has been out of contention at Test level for almost a year but regularly used to cause Johnson problems and has been performing well for Wasps.

Halifax-born Hodgson benefits from the unavailability of rival fly-half Jonny Wilkinson, although he will have been sweating on his place as back-up to Danny Cipriani because inside-centres Olly Barkley and Toby Flood can operate at No 10.

With no senior coaching experience, Johnson has never picked a team before but it is hard to quibble with his selections, aside from the exclusion of the experienced Shaw.

Johnson has resisted the temptation to dredge up old colleagues: Tindall, Ben Kay and Joe Worsley are the only survivors from the 2003 World Cup-winning squad.

Despite the injury list, the team looks as strong as anything his predecessor Brian Ashton was able to put out in the Six Nations. Certainly, it is not the sort of second-string party England have tended to send to Southern Hemisphere slaughterings over the last four years.

Johnson will not be on the tour, because of complications involved in his wife's pregnancy, but he is sending a side to New Zealand to win, as well as to find answers to the problem positions of hooker, No 8, scrum-half, inside-centre and full-back.

Ian McGeechan is expected to be confirmed as head coach of the 2009 Lions tour to South Africa today. The former Headingley player, 61, has been involved in a record six tours as a player, assistant coach and head coach.


England squad for kiwi tour

Squad for Tests in Auckland on June 14 and Christchurch on June 21:

Backs: M Brown (Harlequins), P Sackey (Wasps), D Strettle (Harlequins), T Ojo (London Irish), M Tait (Newcastle), M Tindall (Gloucester), J Noon (Newcastle), T Flood (Newcastle), O Barkley (Bath), D Cipriani (Wasps), C Hodgson (Sale Sharks), R Wigglesworth (Sale Sharks), P Richards (London Irish), D Care (Harlequins).

Forwards: A Sheridan (Sale Sharks), T Payne (Wasps), M Stevens (Bath), J Hobson (Bristol), L Mears (Bath), D Hartley (Northampton), D Paice (London Irish), S Borthwick (Bath, capt), B Kay (Leicester), N Kennedy (London Irish), T Palmer (Wasps), T Croft (Leicester), J Haskell (Wasps), J Worsley (Wasps), M Lipman (Bath), T Rees (Wasps), N Easter (Harlequins), L Narraway (Gloucester).