Flood ready to halt Ireland’s rising tide

TOBY Flood hopped back on England’s fly-half merry-go-round yesterday after replacing Andy Goode in the team to face Ireland at Croke Park on Saturday.

Flood’s inclusion is the only change made by Martin Johnson to the starting XV beaten 23-15 in Wales two weekends ago, although scrum-half Danny Care has recovered from an ankle injury to replace Paul Hodgson on the bench.

England have changed their starting fly-half seven times and used five different players in 10 Test matches, dating back to when Jonny Wilkinson was the incumbent during the 2008 RBS 6 Nations.