Armitage to replace crocked Cueto

Delon Armitage
12 April 2012

Delon Armitage will start England's opening Rugby World Cup game against Argentina on the left wing after Mark Cueto was ruled out.

Cueto has been struggling with a lower back problem since the week of England's final warm-up international against Ireland, when he was forced off just 21 minutes into the game.

London Irish full-back Armitage will make his first Test start on the wing while Nick Easter returns at number eight after missing the Aviva Stadium victory with a tight calf.

Mike Tindall captains the team again from inside centre with Manu Tuilagi, one of 10 World Cup debutants in the team, to make his third Test appearance at outside centre.

With Easter back at number eight and squad captain Lewis Moody still sidelined with a knee injury, James Haskell returns to start at openside flanker.

Saracens' Richard Wigglesworth continues at scrum-half but Ben Youngs, who missed England's three warm-up games after undergoing a knee operation, has been included on the bench.

England team: Ben Foden; Chris Ashton, Manu Tuilagi, Mike Tindall, Delon Armitage; Jonny Wilkinson, Richard Wigglesworth; Andrew Sheridan, Steve Thompson, Dan Cole, Louis Deacon, Courtney Lawes, Tom Croft, James Haskell, Nick Easter.

Replacements: Dylan Hartley, Matt Stevens, Tom Palmer, Tom Wood, Ben Youngs, Toby Flood, Matt Banahan.

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