Van Gisbergen on bench for England

Mark Van Gisbergen was today omitted from the England starting XV to take on Australia on November 12.

The New Zealand-born full-back was included in head coach Andy Robinson’s training squad in September immediately after qualifying to play for England on residency grounds.

But his form has since dipped alarmingly and error-strewn displays for Wasps against Sale, Edinburgh and Toulouse have proven costly.

Van Gisbergen’s Wasps colleague Josh Lewsey has been preferred at full-back as Northampton winger Ben Cohen wins a recall to the side.

Cohen has not started a Test since Robinson took over from Sir Clive Woodward and was left out of the September training squad.

But Cohen responded to his omission with six tries in four games for Northampton and will win his first cap since appearing off the bench against France in February.

The England team to play Australia on November 12 at Twickenham:

J Lewsey (Wasps); M Cueto (Sale), J Noon (Newcastle), M Tindall (Gloucester), B Cohen (Northampton); C Hodgson (Sale), M Dawson (Wasps); A Sheridan (Sale), S Thompson (Northampton), P Vickery (Gloucester), S Borthwick (Bath), D Grewcock (Bath), P Sanderson (Worcester), L Moody (Leicester), M Corry (Leicester, capt).

Replacements: L Mears (Bath), M Stevens (Bath), L Deacon (Leicester), C Jones (Sale), H Ellis (Leicester), O Barkley (Bath), M Van Gisbergen (Wasps).