England manager Martin Johnson has finalised a forwards-dominated bench for Sunday’s RBS 6 Nations clash with Italy.

Martin Johnson has cast off the shackles and named the boldest attacking team of his 18-month tenure for Saturday’s RBS 6 Nations championship clash with Wales.

Ayoola Erinle will make his first England start after replacing Shane Geraghty at inside centre in the team to play New Zealand at Twickenham on Saturday.

MARTIN JOHNSON has warned that England will be in “big trouble” if they fail to improve before New Zealand arrive at Twickenham for the final Investec Challenge clash of the autumn next Saturday.

IT IS usually wise to downplay the opposition before a huge Test match, but Australia captain Rocky Elsom has a simple message for his side ahead of their visit to Croke Park next Sunday: this is the best team in Ireland’s history.

Martin Johnson will name one of the most inexperienced England teams in memory to face Australia at Twickenham on Saturday – and that is despite the return of Jonny Wilkinson.

MUNSTER team manager Shaun Payne is looking to the future, starting at Musgrave Park tonight (7pm) when the reigning Magners League champions take on London Irish.

Munster coach Tony McGahan will give Denis Hurley, Niall Ronan, Tony Buckley and Denis Leamy their first starts of the season in a friendly against London Irish at Musgrave Park on Friday (7pm).

JEAN DE VILLIERS claims he is looking forward to making himself part of the Munster ‘family’, citing the province’s tradition as a powerful motivating factor in his decision to join.

ENGLAND rugby coach Martin Johnson has denied rugby has a drug culture and claimed players are aware of the consequences if they take prohibited substances.

BARBARIANS captain Martin Corry, says Rocky Elsom’s game has undergone rapid transformation since moving to Leinster at the beginning of the season.

PETER DE VILLIERS has named three uncapped players in his South African XV to face a Namibian Invitational XV in Windhoek tomorrow.

DANNY CIPRIANI has been left out of England’s squad for the summer Test series against Argentina – but there is a recall for 2003 World Cup-winning hooker Steve Thompson.

THOSE harbouring ambitions of playing a part in the RBS 6 Nations will be hoping to impress their respective national coaches in tonight’s intriguing Ireland A-England Saxons tie at Donnybrook (kick-off 7.35pm).

Danny Cipriani is one of six capped players named in the England Saxons side to face Ireland A at Donnybrook.

IN what is Munster’s first home game since winning the Heineken Cup in May, Tony McGahan has kept faith with 11 of the side that started in last weekend’s impressive 46-22 win over the USA Eagles for tonight’s sell-out friendly with London Irish at Musgrave Park (7.30pm).

England Saxons 34 Ireland A 12

Mike Catt is the surprise selection at out-half for London Irish at home to Perpignan in the Heineken Cup quarter-final on Sunday.

Danny Cipriani will make his first Test start when England tackle RBS 6 Nations Championship opponents Scotland at Murrayfield on Saturday.

Sale Sharks scrum-half Richard Wigglesworth will make his first England start in the RBS 6 Nations Championship clash against France next Saturday.

SHANE HORGAN will start Ireland A’s clash with England Saxons at Welford Road next Friday.

IT’S OLD for the new as Ulster coach Mark McCall recalls experienced former international prop Justin Fitzpatrick for the recently-capped Ireland loose-head Bryan Young in the only change for the Heineken Cup clash with London Irish tonight at Ravenhill.

ULSTER’S former London Irish flanker Kieron Dawson has warned his teammates to “beware of the wounded animal” ahead of today’s decisive Pool Five clash at the Madejski Stadium in Reading (3.30pm).

OSPREYS boss Lyn Jones has predicted “an encounter to remember” when his star-studded Welsh challengers tackle English champions Sale Sharks in a mouth-watering Heineken Cup clash this evening.

Bath prop David Barnes has been appointed tour captain of the newly-named England Saxons in this season’s Barclays Churchill Cup competition.

England will field a much-changed team for tomorrow night’s under-21 international against Italy at Newbury following their 35-9 defeat in Wales a fortnight ago.