Lewis Moody was dropped on Tuesday by England manager Martin Johnson, his former Leicester team-mate, for Saturday's Calcutta Cup Six Nations match away to Scotland at Murrayfield.

The Tigers flanker, who lasted just 55 minutes of England's 20-16 loss to defending champions Ireland last time out, was replaced at openside by the experienced Joe Worsley.

The 32-year-old, who will be winning his 78th cap this weekend, returns to the starting XV for the first time since suffering knee ligament damage in the opening minute of England's 19-6 loss to New Zealand in November.

Johnson has made just one other, enforced, change, to his starting side. Louis Deacon continues in the second row after he replaced Simon Shaw in the opening minutes against the Irish following the veteran lock's shoulder injury.

There are changes on the bench with uncapped Leicester scrum-half Ben Youngs, whose father Nick won six caps for England at scrum-half between 1983 to 1984, called onto the bench in place of London Irish's Paul Hodgson.

Also among the replacements is Youngs's former England Under-20 team-mate Courtney Lawes, who won his first cap as a replacement against Australia last November and now takes the bench spot previously occupied by Worsley.

Meanwhile 2003 World Cup winner Steve Thompson returns as the replacement hooker instead of Lee Mears.

Defeat by Ireland ended England's hopes of a Grand Slam this season as well as the Triple Crown although the Six Nations title remains a possibility.

Scotland, whose former England coach Andy Robinson announced their side earlier on Tuesday, have yet to win in this season's Six Nations.

But they have beaten England in the last two Calcutta Cup clashes at Murrayfield in what is rugby union's oldest international fixture, dating back to 1871.

England (15-1)

Delon Armitage; Mark Cueto, Mathew Tait, Riki Flutey, Ugo Monye; Jonny Wilkinson, Danny Care; Nick Easter, Joe Worsley, James Haskell; Steve Borthwick (capt), Louis Deacon; Dan Cole, Dylan Hartley, Tim Payne

Replacements: Steve Thompson, David Wilson, Courtney Lawes, Lewis Moody, Ben Youngs, Toby Flood, Ben Foden

AFP

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