PHIL VICKERY has reclaimed his place at tighthead prop as England prepare to renew hostilities with Australia at Twickenham on Saturday.
The former England captain returns to a beefed-up pack in place of Matt Stevens, who drops to the bench, with Tom Palmer replacing Nick Kennedy in the second row. Vickery missed the summer tour to New Zealand with a knee injury and then lost the captaincy to Steve Borthwick at the start of the autumn series.
England manager Martin Johnson was impressed, but not surprised, by the positive manner in which his old team-mate reacted to the news.
Vickery came off the bench against the Pacific Islanders last weekend and his return to action ensures England have their best scrummaging frontrow unit available. "When he is fit and in form Phil is a world-class tighthead prop," said Johnson.
"He has been around the team for 10 years. He is still enthusiastic to play the game. He is in very good shape, as good as I have seen him in some time.
"He is very good in the scrum and lineout, he is also a very smart rugby player around the field. His leadership and who he is as a bloke is very important to this squad."
Vickery and Andrew Sheridan were the England props responsible for the destruction of the Australian scrum in the World Cup quarter-final last year.
The only other players in England's starting XV who began that 12-10 victory in Marseille are number eight Nick Easter and winger Paul Sackey. Palmer comes into the side in place of Kennedy, who drops out of the match 22 with Simon Shaw preferred as the replacement lock on the bench.
Johnson has kept his back division unchanged. Fullback Delon Armitage, winger Ugo Monye and inside centre Riki Flutey will all win their second caps. Danny Cipriani will face arguably the toughest challenge of his career opposite returning Australian outhalf Matt Giteau.
Australia coach Robbie Deans has named a side featuring only six players from the Marseille encounter. Prop Al Baxter will face Sheridan once again after Deans named the same Australia team that lost 19-14 to New Zealand in Hong Kong two weekends ago, except for Hugh McMeniman replacing Dean Mumm at blindside flanker. Stirling Mortlock and Ryan Cross will forge a powerful midfield unit.
Meanwhile, Scotland coach Frank Hadden insists his team have learned their lessons from their New Zealand mauling and are confident of victory over South Africa on Saturday. Hadden has only made one change to the team which started against New Zealand, with Rory Lamont replacing brother Sean on the left wing.
