British and Irish Lions

Woodward predictably retained the starting line-up on duty when Calcutta Cup opponents Scotland were beaten 40-9 at Twickenham three days ago.

But he has made two alterations on the bench, calling up 35-year-old Leicester hooker Dorian West instead of Mark Regan, and preferring Saracens scrum-half Kyran Bracken to Andy Gomarsall.

Martin Johnson will captain England for the first time in a Grand Slam game, while scrum-half Matt Dawson - skipper on failed assignments against Scotland three years ago and Ireland 18 months later - wins his 50th cap.

England team: J Lewsey (Wasps); J Robinson (Sale Sharks), W Greenwood (Harlequins), M Tindall (Bath), B Cohen (Northampton); J Wilkinson (Newcastle), M Dawson (Northampton); G Rowntree (Leicester), S Thompson (Northampton), J Leonard (Harlequins), M Johnson (Leicester, capt), B Kay (Leicester), R Hill (Saracens), N Back (Leicester), L Dallaglio (Wasps).

Replacements: D West (Leicester), T Woodman (Gloucester), D Grewcock (Bath), J Worsley (Wasps), K Bracken (Saracens), P Grayson (Northampton), D Luger (Harlequins).

Having become only the ninth Welshman to pick up a Heineken Cup winners medal, Gethin Jenkins is now getting ready for his next challenge - holding on to his British & Irish Lions Test spot.

Lions skipper Sam Warburton says the lessons he and his Welsh colleagues learnt in Australia last summer will stand them in good stead for their return visit with Britain and Ireland's elite next month.

Tom Youngs has enjoyed a remarkable rise to the top of the British & Irish game but he won't be resting on his laurels ahead of his first Lions adventure.