Ben gets his first start for England
Norfolk's Ben Youngs will make his first start for England after manager Martin Johnson made two changes for Saturday's second Test against Australia. Leicester scrum-half Youngs has replaced Danny Care after making a lively impression off the bench in England's 27-17 defeat to the Wallabies.
Norfolk's Ben Youngs will make his first start for England after manager Martin Johnson made two changes for Saturday's second Test against Australia.
Leicester scrum-half Youngs has replaced Danny Care after making a lively impression off the bench in England's 27-17 defeat to the Wallabies.
In another change Courtney Lawes, the athletic Northampton lock, takes over in the second row from veteran Simon Shaw, who played last week as if the years are beginning to catch up on him.
'I never thought a year ago that I could be here now, it's come very quickly and I'm very lucky,' said a modest Youngs, whose father Nick won six caps at scrum-half for England.
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'Now I've got the chance, I've got to take it with both hands and play my game. I'll certainly give it a go and play with a bit of pace. I think that's just the way I play.'
Both Youngs and Lawes will bring a level of dynamism to the England side after they paid the price for a lack of pace and penetration in the first Test.
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Much to the surprise of the Australians, Johnson has resisted the temptation to bring Jonny Wilkinson back into the team and stuck by fly-half Toby Flood and inside centre Shontayne Hape.
Youngs has only recently broken into the full England squad and Johnson said: 'This is a great opportunity for Ben, who has been with us since the middle of the Six Nations - the same for Courtney.
'Ben brings something different to Danny but it is not a reflection on Danny's performance. It is just an opportunity to get Ben on the field.
'It is a tough call on Danny, who has not done anything particularly wrong. Simon Shaw certainly hasn't done anything wrong but Courtney Lawes has really stepped up in the last few weeks since we have been together.'
The Wallabies have been boosted by the return of scrum-half Will Genia and inside centre Matt Giteau.
England: B Foden, M Cueto, M Tindall, S Hape, C Ashton, T Flood, B Youngs, T Payne, S Thompson, D Cole, C Lawes, T Palmer, T Croft, L Moody (capt), N Easter. Replacements: G Chuter, D Wilson, S Shaw, J Haskell, D Care, J Wilkinon, D Armitage.
