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Dan Cole given full England debut as Flutey returns

Dan Cole came on as a replacement during England's game against Wales © Getty Images

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Leicester tight-head prop Dan Cole will make his full England debut in Sunday's Six Nations clash with Italy in Rome.

England manager Martin Johnson has promoted the 22-year-old into the starting line-up to replace Bath's David Wilson, who has been struggling with a shoulder injury since last weekend's 30-17 victory over Wales. Brive centre Riki Flutey returns from injury in the only other change from the side that beat Wales in their Championship opener at Twickenham last weekend.

Cole made his Test debut off the bench at Twickenham after forcing his way into the senior England squad with a series of destructive performances in the Tigers' front row. Flutey had originally been named in the team last week but he was forced to withdraw two days before the game after picking up a dead leg in training.

Johnson has delayed the announcement of his replacements as he waits on a number of injury issues. Captain Steve Borthwick has missed training for the last two days and has been isolated from the rest of the squad after being laid low with an illness. Wilson and Lewis Moody were both in non-contact jerseys at training today while Simon Shaw also sat out the session. Johnson has kept Harlequins flanker Chris Robshaw, Northampton lock Courtney Lawes and Worcester prop Matt Mullan with the squad.

The England coach has no qualms in promoting Cole into the starting XV after watching him thrive at Leicester in the injury-enforced absence of veteran tightheads Julian White and Martin Castrogiovanni.

"Dave Wilson took a bit of a knock last week so he has been limited in training and it is the perfect opportunity to bring Dan Cole in," said Johnson. "We are very pleased to do that. I thought he was impressive when he played last week and the way he has handled this week. He can do a good job for us. We knew there was potential in him and getting the opportunity at Leicester to play games, his development has been rapid over the last few months."

England:
D Armitage (London Irish); M Cueto (Sale Sharks), M Tait (Sale Sharks), R Flutey (Brive), U Monye (Harlequins); J Wilkinson (Toulon), D Care (Harlequins); T Payne (Wasps), D Hartley (Northampton), D Cole (Leicester), S Shaw (Wasps), S Borthwick (Saracens, capt), J Haskell (Stade Francais), L Moody (Leicester), N Easter (Harlequins).
Replacements: TBC.

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