Croft is fast-tracked back into England’s starting line-up for grand slam battle

Launchbury injured his elbow in England’s 18-11 win against Italy and Parling suffered a stinger in his shoulder, but both locks came through a lineout session at 8.30am yesterday to seal their places in the team.

Owen Farrell has also recovered from injury to reclaim the fly-half jersey as one of four changes Lancaster has made for the RBS 
Six Nations title decider.

Tom Croft will start at blindside flanker in only his seventh appearance since returning to action after recovering from a broken neck that almost left him paralysed.

Croft has replaced James Haskell, Joe Marler has reclaimed the loosehead prop position from Mako Vunipola and England will start with Ben Youngs at scrum-half alongside Farrell.

Farrell missed the game against Italy with a thigh strain, but he was passed fit on Monday and returns to the side in place of Toby Flood, with Youngs replacing Danny Care at scrum-half.

“I am delighted Owen is fit – he is a big game player – and the pleasing thing is both our second rows came through,” Lancaster said.

“Geoff had that bang on his shoulder and neither he nor Joe trained on Tuesday.

“I was pretty confident (on Wednesday night) and (yesterday morning) we had a lineout session at 8.30am and they were fine.

“It is great for them to play the final game. They have been great for us in this championship.”

For the most important team announcement of his tenure, Lancaster’s biggest decision was in the back row and he has opted to fast-track Croft back into the starting line-up.

Croft’s last start for England was exactly 12 months ago.

In April of last year he suffered a triple break to the C6 vertebra and a burst disc when he mistimed a routine tackle on Harlequins’ No 8 Nick Easter.

The Leicester flanker was told later that he had come as close to being paralysed as it was possible to be, but he made his comeback for the Tigers on January 4.

After being given medical clearance to play every week, Croft was immediately recalled by England and he came off the bench against Italy. Tomorrow will be his first Test start for 12 months.

Croft will bring a more mobile, athletic dimension to the England back row than the more physical Haskell, who is primed to win his 50th cap off the bench.

“Tom’s extra lineout presence will hopefully give us an advantage. He is clearly a quality player and he has had a great impact since he has come back into the team,” Lancaster said.

“I see it as an 80-minute game. James Haskell’s impact coming off the bench will serve us better.”

England are chasing their first grand slam in a decade and tomorrow’s clash is a genuine title decider, with Wales capable of retaining their crown.

Wales coach Rob Howley has once more put the team dynamic before individuals with his choice of captain for tomorrow.

Howley yesterday appointed Toulon prop Gethin Jenkins as the third different leader of this season’s Six Nations campaign, following Sam Warburton and Ryan Jones.

Like Warburton and Jones, Jenkins offers previous experience of the role, latterly against Italy a year ago.

Jones broke a bone in his shoulder during last weekend’s victory over Scotland, and he is replaced in the back-row by Justin Tipuiric, with Warburton wearing Wales’ No 6 shirt.

Howley has decided for a second successive game not to reinstall Warburton – last season’s grand slam captain – as captain, preferring instead to let him concentrate on his own game. That approach worked at Murrayfield when Warburton delivered a towering display.

“Gethin is vastly experienced and has captained Wales previously, including many times when Sam or Ryan has gone off in a game,” said Howley.