WROUGHTON-BORN prop forward Tim Payne will line-up for England in Sunday's Six Nations clash against Italy in Rome.

Wasps' Payne, whose parents Roger and Penny still live in Wootton Bassett, won the last of his five caps in last season's Six Nations and has been brought in by Brian Ashton following England's 26-19 defeat to Wales last weekend.

He replaces Sale's Andrew Sheridan, who has become the latest casualty of England's lengthy injury list after centre Mike Tindall (bruised liver), wing David Strettle (foot) and flanker Lewis Moody (Achilles) were all hurt against Wales, together with Moody's replacement, Wasps' Tom Rees (knee ligament).

Fly-half Jonny Wilkinson retains his place, as does rugby league recruit Lesley Vainikolo, who gains a first Test start, while back-row switches see Bath flanker Michael Lipman and Harlequins number eight Nick Easter both included.

  • England: I Balshaw (Gloucester); P Sackey (Wasps), J Noon (Newcastle), T Flood (Newcastle), L Vainikolo (Gloucester); J Wilkinson (Newcastle), A Gomarsall (Harlequins); T Payne (Wasps), M Regan (Bristol), P Vickery (Wasps, capt), S Shaw (Wasps), S Borthwick (Bath), J Haskell (Wasps), M Lipman (Bath), N Easter (Harlequins). Subs: L Mears (Bath), M Stevens (Bath), B Kay (Leicester), L Narraway (Gloucester), R Wigglesworth (Sale Sharks), D Cipriani (Wasps), M Tait (Newcastle).