TIndall back as England drop Wilkinson

YORKSHIREMAN Mike Tindall returns to the England side against Grand Slam-chasing France but his World Cu-winning team-mate Jonny Wilkinson has been dropped for only the third time in his 12-year international career.
By The Newsroom
Published 17th Mar 2010, 14:30 BST
Updated 17th Mar 2010, 14:31 BST

Toby Flood will start at fly-half in Paris on Saturday night after Martin Johnson made six changes to the side which drew 15-15 with Scotland.

Otley-born Tindall is back having proved his fitness during three starts with Gloucester after a four-month hamstring lay-off.

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He replaces outside centre Mathew Tait in a revamped backline which sses Nothermapton's Ben Foden get his chance at full-back following some impressive cameos off the bench and Saints team-mate Chris Ashton make his debut on the wing.

They take the respective spots of out-of-sorts Delon Armitage and injured Ugo Monye while, up front, James Haskell slips to the bench with Lewis Moody back in the starting XV at openside flanker and Joe Worsley moving to blindside.

Simon Shaw reclaims his place in the second row from Louis Deacon after missing the Scotland game through injury.

The only previous occasions when Wilkinson was dropped from the England team were for Paul Grayson at the 1999 World Cup and for Danny Cipriani in the 2008 Six Nations.

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He suffered a heavy blow to the head at Murrayfield and was forced from the field, but has been passed fit after monitoring from the England medics and is named on the bench.

Wilkinson's ex-Newcastle Falcons colleague Flood improved England's attacking potential when he arrived on the field at Murrayfield and the Leicester number ten has now been given the opportunity to fire-up the new-look backline against the unbeaten Les Bleus.

Former Wigan Warriors rugby league star Ashton, meanwhile, gets his chance after scoring 19 tries in 25 games for Northampton this season.

England team to play France in the RBS 6 Nations Championship at the Stade de France on Saturday, March 20 (kick-off 1945GMT):

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B Foden (Northampton); M Cueto (Sale Sharks), M Tindall (Gloucester), R Flutey (Brive), C Ashton (Northampton); T Flood (Leicester), D Care (Harlequins); T Payne (Wasps), D Hartley (Northampton), D Cole (Leicester), S Shaw (Wasps), S Borthwick (Saracens, capt), J Worsley (Wasps), L Moody (Leicester), N Easter (Harlequins).

Replacements: S Thompson (Brive), D Wilson (Bath), L Deacon (Leicester), J Haskell (Stade Francais), B Youngs (Leicester), J Wilkinson (Toulon), M Tait (Sale Sharks).

Related topics:England