Steve Borthwick was set to be named as England skipper by Martin Johnson for this summer's tour to New Zealand. Borthwick did the job as a one-off against Italy in February when Phil Vickery withdrew due to illness on the morning of the match.

Last-minute medical reports on Vickery's continuing struggle with a damaged knee left Johnson no option but to pick a new captain.

Mike Tindall, James Haskell and Jamie Noon all came into the reckoning as well for the two Tests against the All Blacks but Borthwick looked set to have won the race to lead the 32-strong squad named this morning.

Vickery, out of action since injuring the medial ligament of his right knee for London Wasps against Sale a month ago, will not be fit for his club's Premiership play-off semi-final against Borthwick's Bath on Sunday.

The Wasps man said: "You have to be 100 per cent happy in yourself. There are a lot of ifs, buts and maybes and I know it's not ready yet. Life goes on. It's not the end of the world."

Paul Sackey could a make a dramatic recovery from medial ligament damage in time to play against Bath and is still hoping to go Down Under.

Despite leaving the Leeds ground on crutches last weekend, Sackey has been given an outside chance of facing Bath by the Wasps medical team who have kept England informed about the wing's injury.

Johnson will urge Wasps not to take any risks with Sackey, given the ligament strain in his right leg and the potential long-term damage of returning to action too soon.

The England manager has plenty of other options if he decides not to risk Sackey in New Zealand, with London Irish flier Topsy Ojo and Richard Haughton, of Saracens, also pressing for places on the trip. Haughton has celebrated being named Saracens player of the year by signing a new contract with the club.

Ojo has been a revelation for Irish this season and Brian Smith, the club's director of rugby, believes the wing has all the credentials to become a Test player and is urging Johnson to give him a chance.

Smith, speaking from Sydney, where he is starting a well-earned break, said:

"It's not only Topsy's tryscoring ability that makes him stand out, his defensive work is top rate as well and he is prepared to go and look for the ball, not just stay on this wing.

"He is a try provider as well as a scorer and if Sackey can't make the trip then I hope they decide to take Topsy because he won't let anyone down."

Haughton, 27, has been with Saracens for 10 years and has emerged as a genuine Test candidate after opting to concentrate on the 15-man game rather than running in tries for England's Sevens teams.

He said: "The only thing I can do to influence selection is play well for Saracens and I have been pleased with how things have gone this season. Everyone wants to play for their country and I am no different."

Danny Care, the Harlequins scrumhalf, could go to New Zealand as the first-choice No9 if Johnson opts to leave Harry Ellis, of Leicester, at home to continue his recovery from knee surgery.

Care has been one of the driving forces behind the club's impressive form this season and if Ellis is ignored, Richard Wigglesworth (Sale) and Paul Hodgson (London Irish) will complete the scrum-half contingent on tour.

Jonny Wilkinson's shoulder operation allows Johnson to concentrate on the next generation of fly-halves, led by Wasps' Danny Cipriani and Ryan Lamb, of Gloucester. Sale's Charlie Hodgson will tour as England will need a player who has more experience of Test rugby.

There will also be a tour place for Shane Geraghty, the London Irish centre, who has been hampered by injury but could form a potent midfield threat alongside Cipriani.