WORLD CHAMPIONS England have been hit by a second-row injury crisis for next Saturday's RBS 6 Nations Championship clash against Ireland at Twickenham.
Bath lock Steve Borthwick will make his first Six Nations start since 2001 after England boss Sir Clive Woodward was denied the services of Danny Grew-cock (heel) and Simon Shaw (face).
Woodward has made two other changes from the side that defeated Scotland in Edinburgh last time out, recalling Liverpool-born scrum-half Matt Dawson instead of Andy Gomarsall and flanker Joe Worsley at the expense of Chris Jones.
But only Mark Regan and Olly Barkley survive on the bench, after Woodward named a 22 that does not include world record cap holder Jason Leonard, but features another 35-year-old - Neil Back.
World Cup warrior Back was the highest-profile casualty when Woodward named the pre-tournament England squad last month. He now returns though, as back-row cover for Worsley, Richard Hill and Lawrence Dallaglio.
The 114 times-capped Leonard, meanwhile, is replaced by a player 14 years his junior - South Africa-born Bath prospect Matt Stevens.
