Goode replaces Hodgson as Robinson rings the changes

Winning try: Phil Vickery is in from the start against South Africa this weekend
14 April 2012

England boss Andy Robinson has made four changes to his starting line-up for next Saturday's second Test against South Africa at Twickenham.

Leicester fly-half Andy Goode will make only his third England start as replacement for Charlie Hodgson, who could miss next year's World Cup due to major knee ligament damage.

All the other switches are up front where Wasps prop Phil Vickery, Bath hooker Lee Mears and Sale Sharks lock Chris Jones gain their first starts of the autumn series.

Vickery, a try-scoring replacement during last Saturday's 23-21 victory over the Springboks, features in an unfamiliar position of loosehead, taking over from broken ankle victim Andrew Sheridan, while Mears replaces George Chuter and Jones takes over from Ben Kay.

Leicester pair Chuter and Kay drop down to the bench, where Wasps duo Tim Payne and Mark van Gisbergen also feature.

Robinson faced making wholesale changes for the second South African game, but England's Guinness Premiership clubs relaxed a restriction on the number of starts permitted, giving the under-fire head coach a free hand in selection.

But five players will still have started all four autumn games against South Africa (twice), New Zealand and Argentina - skipper Martin Corry, flanker Pat Sanderson, prop Julian White, wing Ben Cohen and centre Jamie Noon.

Goode, 26, is one of only a handful of players to have scored more than 1,000 points in the Premiership.

He displayed great maturity in guiding England to their first victory in eight games last weekend after replacing Hodgson, who was stretchered off just before half-time.

Goode will inevitably face strong challenges from Toby Flood and Olly Barkley ahead of the RBS 6 Nations Championship campaign, which starts against Scotland in early February, but he will look to make the most of this unexpected opportunity.

His previous full games in an England shirt were against Ireland last season and then in the second Test lost to Australia in Melbourne five months ago, but he is an experienced performer who will look to keep his pack moving forward.

Vickery, who like Corry will win his 49th cap on Saturday, makes a first England start since their narrow defeat against New Zealand at Twickenham last November.

But the 30-year-old has overcome serious back problems to reclaim his place in the England match-day 22, and his experience will be vital as Robinson seeks another morale-boosting triumph.

Mears and Jones, like Vickery and Goode, all made notable contributions when they were sent on as replacements last Saturday.

England are chasing their eighth successive win against South Africa. The Springboks have not won at Twickenham since 1997.

England team: J Lewsey (Wasps); M Cueto (Sale Sharks), M Tait (Newcastle), J Noon (Newcastle), B Cohen (Northampton); A Goode (Leicester), P Richards (Gloucester); P Vickery (Wasps), L Mears (Bath), J White (Leicester), T Palmer (Wasps), C Jones (Sale Sharks), J Worsley (Wasps), P Sanderson (Worcester), M Corry (Leicester, capt).

Replacements: G Chuter (Leicester), T Payne (Wasps), B Kay (Leicester), L Moody (Leicester), S Perry (Bristol), T Flood (Newcastle), M van Gisbergen (Wasps).

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