England manager Martin Johnson appeared to provide an early glimpse into his thinking ahead of a demanding autumn Test campaign by making eight players available for EDF Energy Cup action this weekend.

DANNY CIPRIANI and Josh Lewsey produced a neat one-two combination punch to floor Castres as Wasps opened their Heineken Cup campaign with an emphatic home victory yesterday.

Steve Borthwick will captain England on their New Zealand tour next month.

MARTIN CORRY claims England will “draw strength from adversity” when they go into battle as huge World Cup underdogs against South Africa tonight.

Jonny Wilkinson will not be involved in England’s crunch World Cup clash against South Africa in Paris on Friday night.

ENGLAND star Jonny Wilkinson’s World Cup campaign could be over before it has even started after his injury jinx struck again to deal the defending champions a potentially shattering blow.

Frederic Michalak and Jean-Baptiste Elissalde will form the half-back partnership combination for France when they take on England in a World Cup warm-up match in Marseille tomorrow.

England boss Brian Ashton has named his 30-man World Cup squad – with Mike Tindall and Charlie Hodgson the big-name casualties.

Irish scrum-half Eoin Reddan and tight-head prop Peter Bracken will start for London Wasps against Leicester in Sunday's Heineken Cup final at Twickenham.

WASPS forward James Haskell will make his England debut in Saturday’s RBS 6 Nations clash against Wales at the Millennium Stadium.

JAMES HASKELL has received a ringing endorsement from one of England’s leading coaches as he prepares to make his Test match debut.

ENGLAND coach Brian Ashton has ignored struggling Wales’ miserable RBS 6 Nations season and predicted possibly his team’s “toughest game of the tournament” on Saturday.

World Cup winner Josh Lewsey has been left out of the England team for Saturday’s Six Nations finalé against Wales in Cardiff.

England have suffered a triple injury blow for Sunday’s Six Nations showdown with title favourites France at Twickenham.

England boss Brian Ashton has sprung a major surprise ahead of Saturday’s RBS 6 Nations Championship clash against Italy by calling up uncapped Harlequins flanker Nick Easter.

New England boss Brian Ashton has named a new captain and summoned Jason Robinson from international retirement for this season’s Six Nations Championship.

England head coach Andy Robinson has named seven uncapped players in a 30-man squad for the Twickenham clash against World Cup favourites New Zealand on November 5.