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TOUGH TEST AHEAD FOR ENGLAND

Tuesday 13th May 2008

Borthwick - takes charge of England in NZ.

With England announcing their squad to tour New Zealand, VC Bet have priced them at 4/1 to win at least one of the two Tests in Auckland and Christchurch in June.

The firm also go 3/1 that New Zealand manage to score a combined total of 100 points or more against them in the two matches.

"New Zealand is a hard place to go and win a Test at the best of times, and England are taking a young team, so it will be a tall order to turn over the All Blacks," commented VC spokesman Neal Wilkins.

"The flip side is the fact that New Zealand could experiment as well, so it's not out of the question that they can grab a victory."

Steve Borthwick will captain England in the absence of regular skipper Phil Vickery, who misses out due to a knee injury.

He takes charge of a 32-man squad - the first of Martin Johnson's reign as England manager - that includes six uncapped players.

The newcomers are London Irish wing Topsy Ojo, Harlequins scrum-half Danny Care, Bristol prop Jason Hobson, Northampton hooker Dylan Hartley, Irish hooker David Paice and his club colleague, lock Nick Kennedy.

Vickery apart, other absentees from the Six Nations campaign include fly-half Jonny Wilkinson, who is absent through shoulder surgery, Wasps lock Simon Shaw, Gloucester backs Iain Balshaw and Lesley Vainikolo and Bristol hooker Mark Regan.

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