Inexperienced England given chance to shine!

With the announcement of the England XV to face Barbarians on Sunday at Twickenham, it provides a great chance for some of the squad to push for a place in the World Cup Squad. Although Stuart Lancaster will coach the squad, assisted by Jon Callard and Simon Hardy, and most of those involved will be charged with defending the Churchill Cup next month. For the elite few though, with a good performance here, could just see themselves jetting out to New Zealand later this year.

Amongst those given a chance to impress is Dave Attwood, who last year found himself in the first team squad for the tour of Australia. However two counts of stomping and injuries have blighted progress, however he could be on the road back into Martin Johnson's plans. Also the likes of Luke Narraway, who captains the side, and Matt Banahan who have been in and out of the full side will hope to cement a place back there.

There's a nice blend of youth and experience in this side, with some called up for the first time whilst others have been brought back in from the cold. Given a great chance to prove themselves to the first team hierarchy, something they could also do at the forthcoming Churchill Cup. It will be no easy task though, against a Barbarians side with plenty of experienced faces. Paul Sackey will be hoping to prove himself with a try at against his home nation at HQ, and will be capably supported. The Likes of Benoit Baby, Mathieu Bastareaud and Sergio Parisse will all be on display, hoping to earn victory for the famed Baa-Baas. Teams in full:.

England:

Brown (Harlequins), Simpson-Daniel (Gloucester), Trinder (Gloucester), Banahan (Bath), U Monye (Harlequins), Hodgson (Sale), Hodgson (London Irish); Marler (Harlequins), Paice (London Irish), Doran-Jones (Gloucester), Kitchener (Worcester), Attwood (Gloucester), Johnson (Exeter), Fearns (Sale), Narraway (Gloucester, capt)

Replacements: Gray (Harlequins), Brookes (Newcastle), Gaskell (Sale), Gibson (London Irish), Young (Newcastle), Myler (Northampton), Turner-Hall (Harlequins)

Barbarians:

Jeanjean (Brive); Sackey (Toulon), Baby (Clermont Auvergne), Bastareaud (Stade Francais), Visser (Edinburgh); Michalak (Toulouse), Pienaar (Ulster); Perugini (Aironi), Ghiraldini (Benetton Treviso), Kubriashvili (Toulon), Lund (Biarritz), Tito (Cardiff Blues), Van Niekerk (Toulon), Smith (Toulon), Parisse (Stade Francais, capt)

Replacements: Bruno (Toulon), Hayman (Toulon), Geldenhuys (Aironi), Williams (Cardiff Blues), Tillous-Borde (Castres Olympique), Mason (Toulon), Rabini (La Rochelle)

Final day is upon us!

Leicester Tigers and Saracens fight it out later today for the right to be Guinness Premiership Champions.

And while Leicester are seasoned pro's, and have experienced this occasion for the last six consecutive seasons, Saracens are relatively new to this.

Following last years South African but out, plenty of people from that very same nation have found there over to Vicarage Road, including influential Director of Rugby Brendan Venter who is of course banned from attending today.

While Leicester who have to be considered favourites after there overwhelming first place finish in the regular season, you can't count out Sarries.

If they are to triumph though they have to recreate the game at Welford Road earlier this month, when against the odds again they beat today's opponents 32-23 on there remarkable home patch.

Glen Jackson, who's retiring after the game, has been kicking everything in recent week and he has to continue this form to force mistakes from the Tigers pack as they did three weeks ago.

Anther thing they have to do is fight from first to last.

They did that terribly well at Welford Road, but if you give this Tigers side any space they will punish you in the utmost fashion.

The Sarries pack dominated at 8 May, and if they can do that again the pendulum will no doubt swing in there favour.

Following that victory not so long ago, it could be argued that Sarries will be going into the match the more confident.

They cannot let that go to there heads, but if they follow that same blueprint for success there's no doubt they will walk away from Twickenham as Premiership Champions.

New faces for Baa-Baas test

So the sight we never thought we would see again has materialised, Charlie Hodgson is back for the Red Rose at fly-half.

In the absence of Toby Flood, the man who carries most of the hope at Edgeley Park returns to start for the first time since that doomed tour in 2008.

In a poor Sale side this season however he has been a standout performer, and there has been calls from the Northwest for well over a year for their man to be given another chance.

Now that chance has finally come, and he must prove himself along with half-back partner Danny Care.

He isn't the only one that is been given chance in this non cap outing though, with players from Leicester Tigers and the injured Jonny Wilkinson all missing out.

The Tigers of course will be gracing the Twickenham turf on Saturday in the Premiership final, so we will see many other new faces in the side.

Shontayne Hape, Jon Golding and Dave Attwood will make their first appearances for their country at centre, prop and lock.

One of these in particular though is very exciting, and that is Bath Rugby man Hape.

He was around the squad for the duration of this years Six Nations, and was perhaps unlucky not to be given a chance then.

Another exciting addition is Ben Foden continuing at full-back, where he performed so well when given chance in the Six Nations.

His running game is second to none, and he can no doubt be a very dangerous outlet for England.

More flair in the backs in provided by Saracens bound David Strettle, who is back for his country following a series of injury problems.

It is fantastic to see the Harlequins man competing at the top level again, and if he can reach his past level we could be set for an excting time.

One overwhelming theme throughout the startin 15 though is the mix of youth and experience throughout.

Only the backrow contains three fullly experienced individuals, in the shape of James Haskell, Steffon Armitage and Nick Easter.

Even without the Tigers plays this team on the outset seems relatively strong, so ahead of the summer tour Martin Johnson could certainly have a few headaches to deal with.

The team to play Barbarians in full:

Ben Foden, Mark Cueto, Mike Tindall, Shontayne Hape, David Strettle, Charlie Hodgson, Danny Care, Jon Golding, Steve Thompson, Paul Doran-Jones, Dave Attwood, Tom Palmer, James Haskell, Steffon Armitage, Nick Easter

Replacements:

Lee Mears, Tim Payne, Dan Ward-Smith, Joe Worsley, Joe Simpson, Olly Barkley, Matthew Tait.