Care faces waiting game to earn England chance in South Africa

Stuart Lancaster’s team for the opening Test match with South Africa tomorrow in Durban includes debutants Joe Marler of Harlequins – he of mohican haircut fame – and his German-born fellow forward Tom Johnson of Exeter. London Irish centre Jonathan Joseph is set to make his debut from the bench.

If it all sounds a little raw and naive for the ferocity of the Springboks in their own backyard, then it is not anything that has not been seen before.

The hallmark of Lancaster’s interim tenure in the spring was of bold approaches and the occasional radical team selection.

He was not afraid to stake his candidacy for the top job on young, hungry players, so after finally being chosen as successor to Martin Johnson, there was never any thought that he would betray his principles.

He has also shown in his first team selection of the summer that although rifts have been healed, there remains work still to be done. Leeds-born Care has worked his way back into the coach’s good books after a winter of discontent, but the trust Lancaster spoke so candidly about the player needing to regain, has not been enough to supplant the two first-choice scrum-halves.

Care and James Haskell – who is back in contention for the first time since the World Cup after linking up with the squad this week – are likely to figure in the first midweek game against the SA Barbarians South in Kimberley on Wednesday.

Only the personnel have switched at scrum-half, with Ben Youngs back in the No 9 shirt after his redemptive try in the thrashing of Ireland.

Lee Dickson drops to the bench.Lancaster said: “Selection is competitive in lots of positions, particularly at scrum-half. We are really pleased with Ben’s form and he knows our systems well.

“Lee, if he gets his chance from the bench, will make an impact and Danny will get his opportunity to press his case, as will the others, in the first midweek game on Wednesday.”

In the other personnel alterations, Owen Farrell returns to the fly-half position he impressed in during the Six Nations, while Ben Foden moves to the wing for the injured David Strettle, with Mike Brown starting at full-back.

Lancaster added: “Mike Brown has been outstanding for Harlequins.

“By moving Ben to the wing we retain his strike power and aerial skills and can utilise not only Mike’s attacking and defensive assets, but we can also call on his left-footed kicking game.

“Ben is obviously a great strike runner as well. He has been great about it and he can see the benefits of how this can open his game up.

“When you make these decisions there is an element that wonders how he will go in this situation but we have had 10 days together, and we have worked on it for those 10 days.

“Sometimes you have to make brave decisions and, from my point of view, it is the right decision for the team and it is going to benefit the team massively...hopefully.”

Quins prop Marler, 21, is given his opportunity at loosehead after an outstanding season for the Aviva Premiership champions.

Alex Corbisiero, who held that position throughout the Six Nations, has been held back in training by a knee injury after recovering from a biceps operation.

Johnson, 29, gets his chance with Leicester’s Tom Croft missing the three-Test tour through injury.

His elevation is a pat on the back to all at Sandy Park.

Dusseldorf-born Johnson helped Exeter win promotion to the Premiership in 2010 and qualify for the Heineken Cup this season.

Lancaster said: “Tom and Joe have had great seasons at their clubs and have worked really hard to get this chance, both are in great form and have really impressed in training. We have made no secret of how tough this series will be but it is an opportunity we are looking forward to and I am confident that we can perform.”

Joseph, 21, featured last year in the Junior World Championship final for the England Under-20s team coached by Leeds Carnegie head coach Diccon Edwards.

England: M Brown (Harlequins); C Ashton (Northampton), M Tuilagi (Leicester), B Barritt (Saracens), B Foden (Northampton); O Farrell (Saracens), B Youngs (Leicester); J Marler (Harlequins), D Hartley (Northampton), D Cole (Leicester), M Botha (Saracens), G Parling (Leicester), T Johnson (Exeter), C Robshaw (Harlequins, capt), B Morgan (Scarlets).

Replacements: L Mears (Bath), P Doran Jones (Northampton), T Palmer (Stade Francais), P Dowson (Northampton), L Dickson (Northampton), T Flood (Leicester), J Joseph (London Irish).