Johnson to face Crusaders

By Mark Stevens

Exeter Chiefs forward Tom Johnson has been named in the England starting XV fr tomorrow's clash with the Crusaders at AMI Stadium.

Johnson - who featured off the bench during England's opening Test defeat to the All Blacks - will pack down at No.8 for the friendly clash.

Meanwhile, Leicester's Ed Slater will captain the Red Rose side. The lock, who led his club in the second half of the season, will skipper a side containing 12 capped internationals.

Slater is one of four senior England debutants along with Northampton Saints prop Alex Waller, Gloucester Rugby centre Henry Trinder and Bath Rugby wing Anthony Watson. Christchurch-born Michael Paterson, a former Crusader, is named on the replacements’ bench.

England Head Coach Stuart Lancaster said: “This is a really important match for us in terms of the development of our squad. We wanted this game to test ourselves against a top Super 15 side and with a large squad out here we are hoping to create opportunities for everyone to lay down a marker on this tour. We can see by how they have trained that they can’t wait to pull on an England shirt tomorrow.

“Ed is a natural leader who has captained Leicester well and I am sure he will do the same with this England side. We are treating this like an additional Test and I know the Crusaders will be highly motivated to put in a good performance on the back of their Super 15 form.”

England will be supporting the rebuilding of Christchurch by wearing the Canterbury Rugby Earthquake Relief Charitable Trust logo on their playing jerseys and donating 10 specially embroidered signed shirts to be auctioned off in aid of the fund (see separate release).

England (v Crusaders, AMI Stadium, Addington, Tuesday, June 17, 7.35pm NZST/8.35am BST)

15 Alex Goode (Saracens)*
14 Ben Foden (Northampton Saints) *
13 Henry Trinder (Gloucester Rugby)
12 Brad Barritt (Saracens) *
11 Anthony Watson (Bath Rugby)
10 Danny Cipriani (Sale Sharks) *
9 Lee Dickson (Northampton Saints) *
1 Alex Waller (Northampton Saints)
2 Joe Gray (Harlequins) *
3 Henry Thomas (Sale Sharks) *
4 Ed Slater (Leicester Tigers, capt)
5 Dave Attwood (Bath Rugby) *
6 James Haskell (London Wasps) *
7 Matt Kvesic (Gloucester Rugby) *
8 Tom Johnson (Exeter Chiefs) *

Replacements

16 David Ward (Harlequins)
17 Nathan Catt (Bath Rugby)
18 Kyle Sinckler (Harlequins)
19 Michael Paterson (Sale Sharks)
20 Richard Wigglesworth (Saracens) *
21 Stephen Myler (Northampton Saints) *
22 Jonny May (Gloucester Rugby) *
23 Chris Pennell (Worcester Warriors) *