Rugby: Morgan named in England squad to face Scotland (From Gazette Series)

Ben Morgan named as replacement for England against Scotland in Six Nations

10:31am Thursday 2nd February 2012 in Gloucestershire Sport By Rob Iles

BEN MORGAN has been named as a replacement for England’s opening Six Nations game against Scotland at Murrayfield on Saturday, but his former Dursley team-mate Charlie Sharples is not included in the 22.

Scarlets star Morgan is looking to win his first international cap, but Phil Dowson has been picked ahead of him to start at No 8 in interim head coach Stuart Lancaster’s first game in charge.

Chris Ashton and David Strettle will start on the wings with Mike Brown getting the nod over Gloucester flyer Sharples for a place on the bench.

Only six players who played in England’s World Cup quarter-defeat to France survived in a starting lineup that includes three uncapped players.

England: Ben Foden; Chris Ashton; Brad Barritt, Owen Farrell, David Strettle; Charlie Hodgson; Ben Youngs; Alex Corbisiero, Dylan Hartley, Dan Cole; Mauritz Botha, Tom Palmer; Tom Croft, Chris Robshaw (captain), Phil Dowson.

Replacements: Rob Webber, Matt Stevens, Geoff Parling, Ben Morgan, Lee Dickson, Jordan Turner-Hall, Mike Brown.