Flood Watch

After two weeks on the bench Toby Flood is starting at 10 against New Zealand, which will arguably be England’s toughest test of the autumn series. Martin Johnson has made three changes from the team who lost 42-6 against South Africa. Danny Cipriani and Tom Rees have been dropped to the bench, while Tom Palmer is injured. This makes way for Toby Flood, Michael Lipman and Nick Kennedy to show the England manager what they can do.

Toby Flood has been playing well at ten for the Tigers in the Guinness Premiership and will now have to show he can perform on the big stage. For Johnson’s England this is make or break time.

Cipriani has not stepped up in the last two games and I am pleased that Johnno has given Flood the opportunity, Also Danny Hipkiss has been recalled to the England bench after playing so well against Quins last Saturday.

I think Cipriani has been rushed back from injury far too soon and England were looking for the saviour of English rugby. The truth is these things take time and England are in a time of rebuilding. It is good to see three of Tigers players on the England bench. Croft, Ellis and Hipkiss will all be waiting to come on and play their part.

The main word of the weekend’s game will be PRIDE. A lot of pride was lost against South Africa and these young England players need to put in performances that they showed to get them into the England squad in the first place.

England are playing the best team on paper in the world, so for me to say an England win would be very optimistic. All I hope is that England put in a good performance. The battle between Flood and Carter is going to be interesting as they meet at Welford Road on the 6th December when Carter makes his first appearance for his new club Perpignan.

England team: D Armitage, P Sackey, J Noon, R Flutey, U Monye, T Flood, D Care, T Payne, L Mears, P Vickery, S Borthwick (capt), N Kennedy, J Haskell, M Lipman, N Easter

Replacements: D Hartley, M Stevens, T Croft, T Rees, H Ellis, D Cipriani, D Hipkiss