Italy v England team news:Leicester tighthead prop Dan Cole will make his full England debut in Sunday's Six Nations clash with Italy in Rome, while the hosts are set to lose lock Carlo Antonio Del Fava for the remainder of the championship.
Cole has been promoted into the starting XV to replace the injured David Wilson. The 22-year-old made his Test debut off the bench at Twickenham against Wales last weekend after forcing his way into the senior England squad with a series of destructive performances in the Leicester front row.
In the only other change to the England side that took the field against Wales, Riki Flutey has been restored at inside centre after recovering from a dead leg.
The Brive centre had originally been named in the team last week but he was forced to withdraw two days before the game after being injured in training.
England manager Martin Johnson has delayed the announcement of his replacement bench as he waits on a number of injury issues.
England captain Steve Borthwick has missed training for the last two days and has been isolated from the rest of the squad after being laid low with an illness.
Wilson and Lewis Moody were both in non-contact jerseys at training today while Simon Shaw also sat out the session.
Johnson has kept Harlequins flanker Chris Robshaw, Northampton lock Courtney Lawes and Worcester prop Matt Mullan with the squad.
The problems are mounting for Italy coach Nick Mallett, not least having to prepare without the services of Del Fava after he injured his leg in training.
"Carlo Del Fava reported a meniscus break in his right knee in training last night," the Italian rugby federation said today. "His recovery time is estimated at four weeks."
Reserve scrumhalf Simon Picone is also out of Sunday's second round match (2.30pm Irish time) with a muscle problem.
Del Fava, who started in Saturday's 29-11 defeat against Ireland, is likely to be replaced by former captain Marco Bortolami.
The two injuries meant Mallett had to omit only four players from his original 30-man squad with forwards Simone Favaro and Manoa Vosawai and backs Matteo Pratichetti and Michele Sepe forming the unlucky quartet.
The coach will name his team on Friday.
England team:D Armitage (London Irish); M Cueto (Sale Sharks), M Tait (Sale Sharks), R Flutey (Brive), U Monye (Harlequins); J Wilkinson (Toulon), D Care (Harlequins); T Payne (Wasps), D Hartley (Northampton), D Cole (Leicester), S Shaw (Wasps), S Borthwick (Saracens, capt), J Haskell (Stade Francais), L Moody (Leicester), N Easter (Harlequins). Replacements: to be announced
Italy squad:M Aguero, M Bergamasco, V Bernabo, M Bortolami, M Castrogiovanni, L Cittadini, P Derbyshire, Q Geldenhuys, L Ghiraldini, F Ongaro, S Perugini, J Sole, A Zanni. M Bergamasco, R Bocchino, G Canale, P Canavosio, G Garcia, C Gower, A Masi, L McLean, K Robertson, A Sgarbi, T Tebaldi