RUGBY/SIX NATIONS: Despite over a month on the sidelines, Phil Vickery's greater mobility, handling skills and tackling have been added to the English mix instead of Julian White's more prosaic qualities in the only change from the side which beat Scotland for next Saturday's match against Ireland at Twickenham. Gerry Thornley reports

It is an altogether different English concoction, however, to the one which left a third Grand Slam behind them in Dublin last October. There are nine changes from the team which lost that day, six of them in the pack where Ireland will be facing an entirely changed tight five now that White has made way for Vickery at prop.

The advent of Steve Thompson and Ben Kay to the forwards has improved their lineout, which Gregor Townsend has since admitted the Scots had targeted at Murrayfield, only to be surprised by how well it functioned for England.

Kyran Bracken assuredly adds a quicker service and more of a team ethic than the comparatively maverick Matt Dawson (he was replaced by Bracken after 35 minutes at Lansdowne Road), while the play-making skills of Mike Catt have been sacrificed to include Mike Tindall, with Will Greenwood reverting to a better fitting inside centre jersey.

The cutting edge is even sharper, given Jason Robinson has been handed an even freer rein at full back instead of the out-of-touch Iain Balshaw while, alas, Austin Healey will not be kept on the bench for 61 minutes this time. The recall of Ben Cohen for Dan Luger is a pure form selection.

Vickery's selection is something of a gamble given he hasn't played since he broke a bone in his hand playing for Gloucester at La Rochelle on January 12th. Clive Woodward admitted: "That was a tough decision particularly as Julian White played so well against the Scots nine days ago."

Two changes on the replacements' bench see Dorian West return for Mark Regan while Lewis Moody comes in for the injured Martin Corry.

The Ireland starting team and replacements will be announced at lunchtime today following an open session at Dr Hickey Park, Greystones at 11.30 a.m. Well though Gary Longwell did as a first-half replacement for Paul O'Connell against Wales, it is expected the long-established first-choice number five Malcolm O'Kelly will start, leaving Eddie O'Sullivan and his management team with one notably tricky selection call at blindside flanker between Simon Easterby and the fit-again Eric Miller.

It would be a tough call against Miller, who had been the resident number six until his stomach illness on the week of the Welsh game, but then again Easterby led the Irish tackle count and offloads against Wales, was third in the ball-carries and provided an excellent outlet up and down the lineout.