Johnson keeps faith with miss-firing backs

WILL HINE/ The Southland Times

KEEPING THE FAITH: England coach Martin Johnson has resisted the call for backline changes ahead of their Six Nations clash with Scotland.

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England manager Martin Johnson, showing the steadfast and unflappable approach that served him so well as a player, retained his entire backline for their Six Nations game against Scotland at Murrayfield.

Despite another blunt-edged display in the home defeat by Ireland two weeks ago Johnson, celebrating his 40th birthday on Tuesday, made only two changes, both in the forwards and one of those enforced by injury.

Lock Simon Shaw is out with the shoulder injury he sustained in the opening exchanges against Ireland and is replaced by Louis Deacon while flanker Lewis Moody drops to the bench to open the door for Joe Worsley to make his first start of the championship.

Delon Armitage has recovered from a rib injury to start at fullback, with Ben Foden again having to settle for a place on the bench.

The only nod to the future comes among the replacements where exciting 20-year-old uncapped Leicester scrumhalf Ben Youngs comes in for Paul Hodgson as cover for Danny Care.

He is the son of Nick Youngs, who won six England caps as scrumhalf in the 1980s.

England travel to Edinburgh for the 5 p.m. kickoff desperate to not only get back to winning ways but looking to find some edge to their attack.

Scotland, stinging after defeat by Italy and facing the wooden spoon, will certainly be fired up for the game which is given extra spice as it is Scotland coach Andy Robinson's first against the team he formerly coached and played for.

England: 15-Delon Armitage, 14-Mark Cueto, 13-Mathew Tait, 12-Riki Flutey, 11-Ugo Monye, 10-Jonny Wilkinson, 9-Danny Care, 8-Nick Easter, 7-Joe Worsley, 6-James Haskell, 5-Steve Borthwick (captain), 4-Louis Deacon, 3-Dan Cole, 2-Dylan Hartley, 1-Tim Payne.

Replacements: 16-Steve Thompson, 17-David Wilson, 18-Courtney Lawes, 19-Lewis Moody, 20-Ben Youngs, 21-Toby Flood, 22-Ben Foden.

- Reuters