Woodward rings the changes

England boss Clive Woodward has made 11 changes for his team’s final World Cup Pool C match against Uruguay at Suncorp Stadium on Sunday.

Wing Iain Balshaw, centre Stuart Abbott, flanker Joe Worsley and number eight Lawrence Dallaglio are the only survivors from last weekend’s tense victory over Samoa.

Gloucester prop Phil Vickery will captain his country for the second time after leading England to a memorable victory against Argentina in Buenos Aires 16 months ago.

Bath pair Mike Catt and Danny Grewcock make their first starts of the tournament, and there are also opportunities for fly-half Paul Grayson and Leicester forward Martin Corry, who is due back in Brisbane from the UK on Friday following the birth of his first child.

Catt will make his first England start for two years, while second-row forward Grewcock has recovered from a broken toe sustained during the pre-match warm-up before England met Georgia in Perth earlier this month.

Regular England skipper Martin Johnson is on the bench, alongside the likes of Neil Back, Will Greenwood and Ben Cohen but there is still no sign of Saracens flanker Richard Hill, who has been troubled by a hamstring injury for some time.

Wing Dan Luger, at the centre of England’s 16-man saga, which is currently being probed by World Cup chiefs, features in the starting line-up.

England team Uruguay in World Cup Pool C in Brisbane on Sunday:

J Lewsey (Wasps), I Balshaw (Bath), S Abbott (Wasps), M Catt (Bath), D Luger (Perpignan), P Grayson (Northampton), A Gomarsall (Gloucester), T Woodman (Gloucester), D West (Leicester), P Vickery (Gloucester, capt), M Corry (Leicester), D Grewcock (Bath), J Worsley (Wasps), L Moody (Leicester), L Dallaglio (Wasps).

Replacements: S Thompson (Northampton), J White (Leicester), M Johnson (Leicester), N Back (Leicester), K Bracken (Saracens), W Greenwood (Harlequins), B Cohen (Northampton).