Simpson-Daniel to make Test debut against All Blacks
November 4, 2002

Gloucester youngster James Simpson-Daniel will make his Test debut against the All Blacks at Twickenham on Saturday but stalwart Neil Back will have to make do with a place on the bench.

The 20-year-old from Stockton gains a rapid reward for some superb Premiership displays and is the solitary newcomer named by England boss Clive Woodward.

Leicester and Lions flanker Neil Back, who captained England for part of last season's Six Nations campaign, misses out behind a back row of Lewis Moody, Richard Hill and Lawrence Dallaglio. Hill will become the 12th member of England's 50-cap club.

Elsewhere Matt Dawson has won the scrum-half battle - Austin Healey is named on the bench, not Andy Gomarsall.

Bath captain Danny Grewcock edges out Ben Kay to partner skipper Martin Johnson in the second row while Gloucester prop Trevor Woodman wins his sixth cap, but his first appearance in an England starting line-up.

Also in the front row, Steve Thompson holds off the challenge of a rejuventated Mark Regan for the hooker' jersey.

And despite concerns over a calf injury, Bath's Mike Tindall is named as Will Greenwood's partner in midfield.

There are six changes of personnel from the team that finished England's Six Nations campaign against Italy in Rome last April, with Simpson-Daniel, Dawson, Woodman, Phil Vickery, Johnson and Dallaglio all featuring.

Back's absence from the starting XV means that he has a fight on his hands to gain further England recognition.

The 33-year-old, who won his 50th cap last term, must start the Autumn series against New Zealand, Australia and South Africa from an unfamiliar seat on the replacements' bench.

Whether he gains an opportunity over the next few weeks remains to be seen, but, given that he will be 34 in January, next year's World Cup has started to look a distant target.

Woodward has named four Leicester players on the bench - Back, Kay, Healey, fit despite an Achilles problem, and fullback Tim Stimpson, who will provide goalkeeping back-up.

Prop Jason Leonard, England's most capped player of all time with 97 Test appearances, is also among the substitutes as he inches ever closer to the magical century mark.

New Zealand coach John Mitchell will announce his side tomorrow and it is expected to contain several new faces as he looks to experiment with is comaparatively inexperienced squad.

J Robinson (Sale Sharks); J Simpson-Daniel (Gloucester), W Greenwood (Harlequins), M Tindall (Bath), B Cohen (Northampton); J Wilkinson (Newcastle), M Dawson (Northampton); T Woodman (Gloucester), S Thompson (Northampton), P Vickery (Gloucester), M Johnson (Leicester, capt), D Grewcock (Bath), L Moody (Leicester), R Hill (Saracens), L Dallaglio (Wasps).

Replacements: M Regan (Leeds), J Leonard (Harlequins), B Kay (Leicester), N Back (Leicester), A Healey (Leicester), B Johnston (Saracens), T Stimpson (Leicester).

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