Woodward opts for change

Clive Woodward wants England to move forward

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England manager Clive Woodward has made five changes to the side who defeated Australia, for this weekend's clash against Argentina.

Woodward was naming his side just one day after the players called off their strike over pay.

The team agreed a new four-year deal with the Rugby Football Union on Wednesday and despite heavy criticism from Woodward, it was back to business on Thursday with two training sessions planned to make up for lost time.

It is a tough call on Matt Perry but he has taken the decision on the chin

  Clive Woodward

Woodward has handed a first international start to exciting Bath prospect Iain Balshaw, whose super-sub appearance masterminded England's victory over the world champions last weekend.

Balshaw, whose five previous caps have been as a replacement, relegates his Bath colleague Matt Perry to the bench.

Woodward has recalled wing Ben Cohen, an original selection for the Australian game before withdrawing after his father died, while England's Six Nations captain Matt Dawson is preferred to Kyran Bracken at scrum-half.

In the pack, Bath hooker Mark Regan makes his first England start for almost three years in place of Phil Greening, with Saracens prop Julian White chosen above Phil Vickery.

Ben Cohen is recalled to the wing

Vickery, Bracken and Perry must content themselves with places on the bench.

"It is a tough call on Matt Perry but he has taken the decision on the chin," Woodward said.

"Phil Greening is injured but Mark Regan has waited a long time for his chance and if ever there was a game which needed his physical approach, this is it.

"Jason Leonard will be leading the team out and I hope he gets and standing ovation. Anything other than that will be a sad day."

Prop Jason Leonard will win his 86th cap during the match, breaking Rory Underwood's England record, featuring against a country who were England's opponents when Leonard made his Test debut 10 years ago.

RFU 'to blame'

After announcing his line-up Woodward then surprised his audience by blaming the RFU for the strike action which wrecked the build-up to Saturday's clash.

"I disagreed with the players' actions at the time, and my position hasn't changed," said Woodward.

There are no winners and no losers from this. But, from a positive point of view, it is now done

  Clive Woodward

"However, the RFU has to take large responsibility for what has happened. To allow it to get to this position was totally unacceptable.

"It was a poor situation, and I was determined to get both sides into a corner and get it sorted out. Possibly that was one of the causes of the action.

"I have already spoken to RFU chief executive Francis Baron and agreed that the players must meet with the management board on a regular basis to move things forward so this doesn't happen again.

"I told them not to leave until it was sorted out, and maybe that was too confrontational."

Woodward added: "There are no winners and no losers from this. But, from a positive point of view, it is now done - and this situation will not happen again.

"In terms of the deal, the most important thing is that the players and the RFU are happy with it.

"As for their relationship with me from now on - that's up to them.

"We're all big boys, and the thing to do now is to move on and to move on very quickly."

England team

England team to play Argentina at Twickenham on Saturday. I Balshaw (Bath); B Cohen (Northampton), M Tindall (Bath), M Catt (Bath), D Luger (Saracens); J Wilkinson (Newcastle), M Dawson (Northampton); J Leonard (Harlequins), M Regan (Bath), J White (Saracens), M Johnson (Leicester, capt), D Grewcock (Saracens), R Hill (Saracens), N Back (Leicester), L Dallaglio (Wasps).

Replacements: D West (Leicester), D Flatman (Saracens), P Vickery (Gloucester), M Corry (Leicester), K Bracken (Saracens), W Greenwood (Harlequins), M Perry (Bath).

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