Martin Johnson goes on the attack with Mathew Tait and Danny Care

MARTIN Johnson will send England into their opening RBS Six Nations game against Wales with a licence to thrill after naming the boldest attacking team of his 18-month tenure.

The return of Mathew Tait and Danny Care are the signature selections, representing a marked shift in emphasis following England's insipid performances during the autumn series.

Johnson and attack coach Brian Smith have revised the game-plan, loosened the shackles and urged England's new-look back division to trust their natural instincts. To that end, Tait's incisive attacking game has been preferred to the presence of Dan Hipkiss, while Care, the livewire Harlequin, has been recalled in place of Paul Hodgson. "We have talked about what we want to do. We were maybe a little bit too prescriptive in the autumn and there were reasons for that. We know we have got to be more effective," said Johnson.

"We trust the guys to go out and play. Matt Tait is a massive talent and an instinctive player. He can also defend very well and he has a good kicking game. Danny is probably the best running nine that we have. He is playing very well and he is the best guy for what we want to do on Saturday."

Tait, who made his Test debut as a teenage centre against Wales five years ago, has

started only 15 of his 32 internationals and Johnson admitted the versatility which makes him so special often made it "too convenient to stick him on the bench". Johnson first considered Tait as a full-back but has only ever used him from the bench, until now.

"We were always thinking about using Tait's talents on the field. He has a great all-round game, kicking, attacking and he is under-rated in defence. It is good to get him on the pitch," Johnson said. "Tait has been through a heck of a lot. He is just coming up to 24. He is a bright, mature guy. He understands what he has got to do. He will play the game as he sees it."

England have also been boosted by the return to fitness of full-back Delon Armitage, inside centre Riki Flutey and No8 Nick Easter, who all missed the November campaign through injury.

The only position where England are without their first-choice players is at prop, with Andrew Sheridan and Phil Vickery both sidelined. Tim Payne continues at loose-head while David Wilson packs down at tight-head with Dylan Hartley at hooker.

England team: D Armitage (London Irish); M Cueto (Sale Sharks), M Tait (Sale Sharks), R Flutey (Brive), U Monye (Harlequins); J Wilkinson (Toulon), D Care (Harlequins); T Payne (Wasps), D Hartley (Northampton), D Wilson (Bath), S Shaw (Wasps), S Borthwick (Saracens, capt), J Haskell (Stade Francais), L Moody (Leicester), N Easter (Harlequins). Replacements: S Thompson (Brive), D Cole (Leicester), L Deacon (Leicester), S Armitage (London Irish), P Hodgson (London Irish), T Flood (Leicester), B Foden (Northampton).

SIX NATIONS TEAM GUIDES:

Scotland

England

France

Ireland

Italy

Wales