Parling set for England start

Leicester lock Geoff Parling is in line to start his first Test for England in Saturday's RBS 6 Nations clash with Wales after Tom Palmer was axed from the squad.

Parling is understood to have been promoted into the starting line-up along with Northampton scrum-half Lee Dickson and Scarlets number eight Ben Morgan.

All three made an impact off the bench in England's opening Six Nations victories over Scotland and Italy.

Palmer started both those games but he has been released by interim head coach Stuart Lancaster to play for Stade Francais this weekend.

Northampton lock Courtney Lawes is set to provide the second-row cover on the bench after overcoming a knee injury.

Manu Tuilagi and Toby Flood are also back in England's match-day squad for the first time in the tournament, with both Leicester players expected to start from the bench.

As a result, Harlequins full-back Mike Brown and centre Jordan Turner-Hall have dropped out of England's 22-man squad.

Lancaster has also released Harlequins hooker Chris Brooker, Northampton flanker Calum Clark, Wasps scrum-half Joe Simpson and Leicester number eight Thomas Waldrom.

Forwards - M Botha (Saracens), A Corbisiero (London Irish), D Cole (Leicester), T Croft (Leicester), P Dowson (Northampton), D Hartley (Northampton), C Lawes (Northampton), B Morgan (Scarlets), G Parling (Leicester), C Robshaw (Harlequins), M Stevens (Saracens), R Webber (Wasps).

Backs - C Ashton (Northampton), B Barritt (Saracens), L Dickson (Northampton), O Farrell (Saracens), T Flood (Leicester), B Foden (Northampton), C Hodgson (Saracens), D Strettle (Saracens), M Tuilagi (Leicester), B Youngs (Leicester).