Ojo to make Test debut in New Zealand - Sport in brief - Evening Standard
       

Ojo to make Test debut in New Zealand

London Irish winger Topsy Ojo will make his Test debut against New Zealand on Saturday in an England team featuring a staggering 14 changes from the World Cup final.

Loose-head prop Andrew Sheridan is the only survivor from England's defeat to South Africa in Paris just eight months ago.

There are also 11 changes from England's last international, the 33-11 RBS 6 Nations win over Ireland in mid-March.

Tour manager Rob Andrew has retained only Sheridan, hooker Lee Mears, captain Steve Borthwick and scrum-half Richard Wigglesworth in a new-look England line-up.

There is no place in the starting team for Mathew Tait, with Ojo and David Strettle selected on the wings, Harlequin's Mike Brown at full-back and Mike Tindall back from injury at outside centre.

Olly Barkley returns at inside centre, while fly-half Charlie Hodgson starts his first Test since November 2006 in the absence of Danny Cipriani and Jonny Wilkinson.

In the back row, Luke Narraway starts only his second Test at number eight, with Wasps duo Tom Rees and James Haskell named on the flanks.

Wasps lock Tom Palmer starts in the second row alongside Borthwick, and prop Matt Stevens gets his chance at tight-head alongside Sheridan and Mears.

Andrew's hand has, in part, been forced by injuries, with big-name players like Cipriani, Paul Sackey, Lewis Moody, Phil Vickery, Nick Easter and Simon Shaw all in various stages of rehabilitation.

But England are also deliberately attempting to build a new team, and there are two other potential new caps included on the bench in London Irish hooker David Paice and Harlequins scrum-half Danny Care.

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