Rugby in brief: Joe Marler and Tom Johnson debut for England

HARLEQUINS prop Joe Marler and Exeter flanker Tom Johnson will make their England debuts in tomorrow’s first Test against South Africa in Durban.

Head coach Stuart Lancaster has also opted to move Ben Foden to the wing to replace the injured David Strettle with Harlequins’ Mike Brown coming in at full-back.

In all Lancaster, in naming his side yesterday, has made four changes from the side which beat Ireland in their final RBS Six Nations game in March. Ben Youngs is preferred at scrum-half to Lee Dickson and will partner Owen Farrell, who moves back to number 10 after starting at inside centre in the recent Barbarians match.

England team: M Brown (Harlequins); C Ashton (Northampton), M Tuilagi (Leicester), B Barritt (Saracens), B Foden (Northampton); O Farrell (Saracens), B Youngs (Leicester); J Marler (Harlequins), D Hartley (Northampton), D Cole (Leicester), M Botha (Saracens), G Parling (Leicester), T Johnson (Exeter), C Robshaw (Harlequins, capt), B Morgan (Scarlets). Subs: L Mears (Bath), P Doran Jones (Northampton), T Palmer (Stade Francais), P Dowson (Northampton), L Dickson (Northampton), T Flood (Leicester), J Joseph (London Irish).

Wales have made four changes to their Grand Slam-winning side for the first Test against Australia tomorrow, changing their second row partnership and selecting Scott Williams at inside centre in place of the injured Jamie Roberts.

Australia have made eight changes to the side that was humbled by Scotland on Tuesday.

Wales have not beaten the Wallabies in their own backyard since 1969 but have arguably their best chance at Lang Park tomorrow against an injury-ravaged Australia.

Australia: A Ashley-Cooper; C Vuna, R Horne, P McCabe, D Ioane; B Barnes, W Genia; B Robinson, T Polota Nau, S Kepu, R Simmons, N Sharpe, S Higginbotham, D Pocock (capt), W Palu. Subs: S Moore, B Alexander, D Dennis, M Hooper, N White, A Fainga’a, M Harris.

Wales: L Halfpenny (Cardiff Blues); A Cuthbert (Cardiff Blues), J Davies (Scarlets), S Williams (Scarlets), G North (Scarlets); R Priestland (Scarlets), M Phillips (Bayonne); G Jenkins (Cardiff Blues), K Owens (Scarlets), A Jones (Ospreys), B Davies (Cardiff Blues), L Charteris (Newport Gwent Dragons), D Lydiate (Newport Gwent Dragons), S Warburton (Cardiff Blues, capt), T Faletau (Newport Gwent Dragons). Sub: M Rees (Scarlets), P James (Ospreys), A-W Jones (Ospreys), R Jones (Ospreys), L Williams (Cardiff Blues), J Hook (Perpignan), A Beck (Ospreys).