England draft in duo

Lawes and Goode miss out for All Blacks clash at Twickenham

Last updated: 17th November 2009   Subscribe to RSS Feed

England draft in duo

Tait: Set to feature against All Blacks

We have not played to our potential and the challenge is to play to our limits and find out exactly where our limits are - maximise our ability

Steve Borthwick
Quotes of the week

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England boss Martin Johnson has included Simon Shaw and Mathew Tait in his squad for Saturday's showdown with New Zealand.

Lock Shaw missed the first two autumn internationals against Australia and Argentina as he was completing his comeback from a foot injury.

However the 36-year-old proved his fitness by playing twice for Wasps in the LV= Cup and was added to the England squad on Monday.

Shaw seems likely to partner skipper Steve Borthwick in the second row when Johnson confirms his starting line-up on Wednesday.

Courtney Lawes, who made his Test debut off the bench in the loss to the Wallabies but did not feature against the Pumas, is the man to make way for the British and Irish Lion.

Tait included

Meanwhile Tait, who can play in the centres, on the wing or at full-back, has been included ahead of Andy Goode, a specialist fly-half.

England are still sweating on the fitness of prop David Wilson, who has been undergoing treatment on a neck and shoulder injury suffered in the defeat to Australia.

If the Bath player fails to recover in time, club colleague Duncan Bell is likely to retain his place, with Paul Doran-Jones providing cover for both propping positions on the bench.

After a laboured 16-9 win last weekend over an understrength Argentina side, skipper Borthwick admits performances must improve.

"We have not played to our potential and the challenge is to play to our limits and find out exactly where our limits are - maximise our ability," he told Sky Sports News.

"We know New Zealand are a top-quality side and that makes this weekend such an exciting challenge.

"We need to do what we are doing better. With each week we spend together we find out more about ourselves, we find out where our strengths are and where our weaknesses are."