KEY POINTS:
JOHANNESBURG - England coach Brian Ashton has included three new caps in what he described as an "interesting mix" for the first test against South Africa in Bloemfontein on Sunday (NZ time).
Fullback Mike Brown, loosehead prop Nick Wood and lock Dean Schofield received their first call-ups on Tuesday as England look to take on the Springboks with nearly 30 first-choice players left at home due to injuries or club commitments.
Jason Robinson will captain the team from the wing, with fellow World Cup-winners, first five-eighths Jonny Wilkinson and hooker Mark Regan the only other players in the starting line-up with more than 30 caps.
"It is a very interesting mix of youth and experience," Ashton told reporters at the team announcement in Johannesburg on Tuesday.
"I have not been in this job long, and I need to know by the time we are back in England about certain individuals and how they cope in a game like this in a hostile environment," Ashton said.
"I need to know which of these players can be added to the World Cup training squad."
The coach said the selection was also based on the players' performances in the latter part of the Premiership campaign and in training while in South Africa.
"We expect the Springboks to be extremely physical, as always, but the fact that this is a massive opportunity for the players will hopefully be motivation enough," he added.
"The atmosphere in the squad is good, even though they have been written off by everyone in the world, and have even been called plumbers and painters by a local newspaper.
"They know the enormity of the challenge, but it is a fantastic opportunity."
Wilkinson, who kicked the extra-time drop goal that won the 2003 World Cup, was the only player not to train on Tuesday, but Ashton said it was due to "a 24-hour stomach bug".
Meanwhile, the Springboks have suffered a blow ahead of their international campaign.
Halfback Fourie du Preez will not play in the next five test matches due to a shoulder injury.
The Bulls number nine risked a troublesome shoulder injury to be part of the Super 14 title-winning challenge and aggravated the shoulder in the 20-19 final win over the Sharks.
He has been ruled out of the opening test against England in Bloemfontein, and is not expected back until the away leg of the Tri Nations.
England
15-Mike Brown, 14-David Strettle, 13-Mathew Tait, 12-Andy Farrell, 11-Jason Robinson (captain), 10-Jonny Wilkinson, 9-Peter Richards, 8-Nick Easter, 7-Andy Hazell, 6-Chris Jones, 5-Alex Brown, 4-Dean Schofield, 3-Stuart Turner, 2-Mark Regan, 1-Nick Wood.
Replacements: 16-Matt Cairns, 17-Darren Crompton, 18-Roy Winters, 19-Pat Sanderson, 20-Andy Gomersall, 21-Toby Flood, 22-Iain Balshaw.
- REUTERS, NEWSTALK ZB
