Uncapped Worcester prop Matt Mullan has been named on the bench for Sunday's clash in Rome © Getty Images

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Matches: Italy 12 - 17 England

Tournaments/Tours: Six Nations

Teams: England | Italy

Grounds: Twickenham Stadium

England are set to take on Italy at their own game after naming a forward-dominated bench for Sunday's Six Nations showdown at the Stadio Flaminio.

Manager Martin Johnson has named a full replacement front row of Steve Thompson, David Wilson and the uncapped Worcester loose-head Matt Mullan amongst his replacements for the first time since he took charge 18 months ago. Leicester lock Louis Deacon and London Irish flanker Steffon Armitage complete a five-strong forwards contingent. Scrum-half Paul Hodgson and the versatile Toby Flood are the only backs on the bench, with Ben Foden missing out as England opt for grunt rather than grace.

Italy's traditional strength lies in a pack featuring the likes of Martin Castrogiovanni and, with heavy rain forecast for Sunday, Johnson has opted to match muscle with muscle.

"We have picked an entire front row, which is the right call for this game. We know what we are getting into," said Johnson. "We have done a 5-2 split before with two back rowers but never three front row forwards. With the way we are going to play the front row is going to have to work very hard so it's good we have the depth.

"Whilst we don't want to go into a game that is solely about close-quarter work, that is a part of it. We shouldn't be afraid of our driving game and pick go and it should be a part of our armoury. Against Italy the scrummage is important along with the clear-out work and getting fatigue into the opposition is a key part and that's what we will be trying to exploit."

Fly-half Jonny Wilkinson and inside centre Riki Flutey will be charged with exploiting that fatigue by changing the point of attack and bringing strike runners into play. It is a key area England are looking to improve upon following last weekend's 30-17 victory over Wales, when Mathew Tait, Ugo Monye, Mark Cueto and Delon Armitage had very little opportunity in attack.

England's preparations have been affected all week, with captain Steve Borthwick kept in isolation on Monday and Tuesday after contracting a bug. Simon Shaw has also been laid low while the heaviest snowfall to hit Rome in 25 years today turned an 18-minute bus ride to training into an hour and a half. But Johnson warned his players that excuses would not be tolerated - and he said that England will only start growing into a force to be reckoned with if they start stringing performances together.

"There was a bit frustration and I told the guys 'you either use it as an excuse to train badly or you just get on with it' and we trained well in the circumstances," said Johnson. "There was snow on the ball when it was being passed and on the floor. Its a mental discipline more than anything. Attitude when we take the field away from home is a key factor.

"There is potentially an issue after a win of euphoria and getting carried away with yourself - but the mark of a good side is backing up one good performance and a victory with another."

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: S Thompson (Brive), D Wilson (Bath), M Mullan (Worcester), Louis Deacon (Leicester), S Armitage (London Irish), P Hodgson (London Irish)