Brian Ashton has made five changes to his starting lineup for England clash with Italy in Rome on Sunday.

Prop Andrew Sheridan has joined England’s lengthy injury list after it was revealed the Sale Shark has been hospitalised with an abscess adjacent to his right Achilles tendon. He is replaced by Wasps’ Tim Payne.

Jamie Noon replaces the injured Mike Tindall at outside centre, while Lesley Vainikolo starts after replacing fractured metatarsal victim David Strettle on the left wing during the first half of England’s defeat to Wales.

In the forwards Nick Easter comes in for Luke Narraway at No.8, with the Gloucester man dropping to the replacements bench. Bath’s Michael Lipman comes in for Lewis Moody, who suffered achilles tendon damage on Saturday.

Meanwhile Iain Balshaw and Jonny Wilkinson, the two players whose performance’s came under most scrutiny following England’s second half collapse at Twickenham are retained by Ashton for a match that England remain heavy favourites to win despite their injury worries.

Sheridan’s absence could prove a big loss given the reputation of the Italian scrum, in particular the ability of the Azzuri’s Leicester based tighthead Martin Castrogiovanni. The news comes after it was announced yesterday that Strettle could be out for up to eight weeks, while flanker Tom Rees also faces a two-month lay off after damaging ligaments in his left knee.

England:
15 Iain Balshaw (Gloucester Rugby)
14 Paul Sackey (London Wasps)
13 Jamie Noon (Newcastle Falcons)
12 Toby Flood (Newcastle Falcons)
11 Lesley Vainikolo (Gloucester Rugby)
10 Jonny Wilkinson (Newcastle Falcons)
9 Andy Gomarsall (Harlequins)
1 Tim Payne (London Wasps)
2 Mark Regan (Bristol Rugby)
3 Phil Vickery (London Wasps, Captain)
4 Simon Shaw (London Wasps)
5 Steve Borthwick (Bath Rugby)
6 James Haskell (London Wasps)
7 Michael Lipman (Bath Rugby)
8 Nick Easter (Harlequins)

Replacements
16 Lee Mears (Bath Rugby)
17 Matt Stevens (Bath Rugby)
18 Ben Kay (Leicester Tigers)
19 Luke Narraway (Gloucester Rugby)
20 Richard Wigglesworth (Sale Sharks)
21 Danny Cipriani (London Wasps)
22 Mathew Tait (Newcastle Falcons)