No Moody blues for Robinson
Leicester forward Moody became the first England player to be sent off in a Test match at Twickenham when he was dismissed for punching during the 40-3 victory over Samoa two months ago.
His reckless indiscretion cost him a nine-week ban, and he has only played 39 minutes of rugby - for Tigers against Sale Sharks last Saturday - since his suspension expired.
Robinson though, is certain Moody will be up for the job when England launch their RBS 6 Nations campaign against champions Wales on Saturday.
Moody will pack down at openside flanker in the back row, partnering Joe Worsley and skipper Martin Corry, with Lawrence Dallaglio on replacement duty some 17 months after he retired from international rugby.
Robinson said: “Lewis has had nine weeks to focus on this game, that is what his training has been about and he has worked very hard.
“I have got no doubt about his self-control.
“I have gone on the record as saying the sending off was disappointing, and you can never condone a player throwing a punch on the pitch, but in the physical game of rugby it happens.
“I am not condoning it, but I believe Lewis is an outstanding player and I have been in full contact with him for the last nine weeks.”
Robinson has made four changes from the side that accounted for Samoa, with Newcastle centre Jamie Noon returning instead of James Simpson-Daniel, wing Ben Cohen taking over from Tom Voyce, lock Danny Grewcock back for Louis Deacon and Worsley selected instead of an injured Pat Sanderson.
With Bath’s Olly Barclay ruled out of the midfield equation because of a dislocated thumb, Robinson was always going to go with a combination of Noon and Mike Tindall that served him against New Zealand in November.
Scrum-half Harry Ellis also deservedly holds off the challenge of Matt Dawson, while Bath prop Matt Stevens is rewarded for his club form, with the more experienced Julian White confined to bench duty.
Meanwhile, Mark Jones will make a remarkable return to international rugby more than two years after last pulling on a Wales jersey. The Llanelli winger, 26, has not played for Wales since the 2003 World Cup quarter-final defeat to England and has had to battle through two career-saving knee operations.
Jones’ return, in place of Dafydd James, is a rare good news story for head coach Mike Ruddock, who has had to plan the start of Wales’ Grand Slam defence without eight key players.
Brent Cockbain, Ryan Jones, Kevin Morgan, Tom Shanklin and Chris Horsman are all injured, Gavin Henson and Ian Evans are suspended while Sonny Parker announced his retirement earlier this month.
But Ruddock has challenged his men to meet England head on at Twickenham and stay true to the attacking philosophy that earned them such success last year.
Ruddock has made four personnel changes from the side which beat Australia in November.
Horsman’s long-term ankle problem opens the way for Ospreys loose-head prop Adam Jones to reclaim his place in the front row, while Hal Luscombe returns from injury to replace Parker and starts alongside Matthew Watkins in the centre.
Jones comes onto the wing and, in another major boost for Ruddock, Lions scrum-half Dwayne Peel returns to the side after missing the autumn internationals through injury.
Gethin Jenkins, the Lions prop and one of the stars of Wales’ Grand Slam campaign, returns to the international arena after missing the autumn Tests with a shoulder injury and starts on the bench.
Bath number eight Gareth Delve has also been named among the replacements and Alix Popham received late confirmation of his involvement after Dafydd Jones was handed a three-week ban for stamping.
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