Mark Van Gisbergen was today omitted from the England starting XV, with Josh lewsey prefered at full back for the game against Australia next Saturday.
The New Zealand-born full-back was included in head coach Andy Robinson's training squad in September immediately after qualifying to play for England on residency grounds. But his form has since dipped alarmingly and error-strewn displays for Wasps against Sale, Edinburgh and Toulouse have proven costly.
Van Gisbergen's Wasps colleague Josh Lewsey has been preferred at full-back as Northampton winger Ben Cohen wins a recall to the side. Cohen has not started a Test since Robinson took over from Sir Clive Woodward and was left out of the September training squad.
But Cohen responded to his omission with six tries in four games for Northampton and will win his first cap since appearing off the bench against France in February.
With Van Gisbergen on the bench, fly-half Charlie Hodgson retains the goal-kicking responsibilities but England will have no recognised on-field back-up. England's World Cup-winning centre Mike Tindall returns to the side after missing the Six Nations through injury and will be partnered in midfield by Newcastle's Jamie Noon.
In the pack, Worcester's Pat Sanderson will win his first cap since 2001 and has been listed as blindside flanker in the absence of the injured Joe Worsley (knee) with Lewis Moody starting in the seven jersey.
Sanderson's previous caps have all come as part of a second string England side - the 1998 Tour from Hell and the 2001 Churchill Cup - but his performances as captain of a belligerent Worcester side has earned him a start against the Wallabies.
With Simon Shaw (back) and Alex Brown (neck) out injured, experienced Bath pair Danny Grewcock and Steve Borthwick start in the second row.
Van Gisbergen, Lee Mears, the Bath hooker, and Leicester lock Louis Deacon complete an uncapped trio on a bench that also includes centre Olly Barkley, scrum-half Harry Ellis, loose-forward Chris Jones and prop Matt Stevens.
When Robinson announced his 22-man squad for the Wallabies match last Thursday he defended Van Gisbergen's drop in form. ``I have no doubts about Mark Van Gisbergen,'' Robinson insisted. ``All players go through difficult patches. I have been pleased with what I have seen of Mark and the way he has worked and how he has fitted in here with England. I have really enjoyed having him in the squad.''
Cohen's decision to remove himself from the Lions stand-by list and take a full summer off has paid dividends. The 27-year-old winger was omitted from England's September training camp - and was so far out of the picture after a miserable season he did not even warrant a call of explanation.
But refreshed and reinvigorated after a summer off, Cohen responded to being overlooked by stating an irrefutable case for England selection. ``I have had a couple of player-cams trained on him this season,'' Robinson said last week.
``His whole work rate and the amount he puts into the game is a credit to him. The one thing you want for a winger is for him to be scoring tries and he has been taking those opportunities.''
Tindall was always likely to come straight back into the side, while Noon has been rewarded for an impressive debut season with England last year.
``Mike Tindall was missed by England in the last Six Nations and he is one of those players that is influential in the way we play and is a leader in the team,'' Robinson said. ``I have been involved with Mike for seven years and he is a player I know can deliver for England. Jamie Noon has been playing very well.''
Noon was described by his club coach Rob Andrew as ``the best centre in England this season by an absolute mile'' and held off the challenge of Barkley, Stuart Abbott and James Simpson-Daniel to start his sixth consecutive England Test.
Australia were beaten 26-16 by France in Marseille last night and head to Twickenham on the back of six straight defeats. One more would equal the record losing streak of the 1969 Wallabies.
England then tackle New Zealand on November 19 and close their autumn programme against Samoa on November 26.
Engkland team:
J Lewsey (Wasps); M Cueto (Sale), J Noon (Newcastle), M Tindall (Gloucester), B Cohen (Northampton); C Hodgson (Sale), M Dawson (Wasps); A Sheridan (Sale), S Thompson (Northampton), P Vickery (Gloucester), S Borthwick (Bath), D Grewcock (Bath), P Sanderson (Worcester), L Moody (Leicester), M Corry (Leicester, capt).
Replacements: L Mears (Bath), M Stevens (Bath), L Deacon (Leicester), C Jones (Sale), H Ellis (Leicester), O Barkley (Bath), M Van Gisbergen (Wasps).