England ring the changes

The unavailability of Martin Johnson and Lawrence Dallaglio meant that England today named five changes plus one positional switch for Saturday's Grand Slam game with Ireland.

Wasps' Simon Shaw replaces Johnson with Martin Corry taking over from Dallaglio in a back row that sees Richard Hill move to No 8.

The other change in the pack from the England team that defeated France on 7 April sees Danny Grewcock preferred to Bath clubmate Steve Borthwick.

The two other changes come on the wings, with Lions stars Dan Luger and Jason Robinson taking over from Austin Healey and Ben Cohen.

This will be Robinson's first start for England after his cameo replacement performances during last season's championship. He was a certainty to start following outstanding performances for the Lions in Australia.

The most contentious omission is Healey, who has been in tremendous form for champions Leicester this season.

Healey, who has played the majority of his England matches on the wing, was the form scrum-half this season but the decision to name Matt Dawson as captain meant he could not be included at No 9.

That means Healey is once more on the replacements' bench alongside Matt Perry, who has failed to win the No 15 shirt. That remains with Iain Balshaw, despite his almost total lack of success for the Lions.

Balshaw was usurped by Perry for the Lions full-back position but team manager Clive Woodward has stuck by Balshaw.

Prop Julian White retains his place as Phil Vickery has a damaged knee.

Woodward said: "This game feels like a cup final at the start of a new season and we know the Irish will play better than against Wales.

"As far as the Slam games in 1999 and 2000 are concerned, you learn lessons from those defeats and just look at the next chance. We weren't complacent in those matches, we just weren't thinking correctly.

"When Jono went down, there was no doubt that Matt would be the man, he's been there before and he's learned from the 2000 game at Murrayfield."