Record will take some capping
The England cap-makers have never had it so good. Another match, another head to be measured.
Steve Borthwick is the 37th uncapped player to be promoted to the Test arena since Clive Woodward took control four seasons ago.
The figure may have been inflated by the Tour to Hell of the Southern Hemisphere in 1998 and the recurring emergencies of trying to make do on one side of the world while almost his entire first XV was recuperating on the other. But Woodward has never been afraid to chuck them in at the deep end.
Some, inevitably, sank without trace, others like Paul Sampson and Leon Lloyd can expect to be back for the summer trip to North America, but a considerable number have been making waves ever since.
The full list - Full backs: Iain Balshaw, Matt Perry. Wings: Jason Robinson, Ben Cohen, Steve Hanley, Dan Luger, Paul Sampson, Tom Beim, Dominic Chapman, Spencer Brown, David Rees.
Centres: Leon Lloyd, Mike Tindall, Barrie-Jon Mather, Jos Baxendell, Stuart Potter, Steve Ravenscroft, Nick Greenstock, Will Greenwood. Fly halves: Josh Lewsey, Jonny Wilkinson. Scrum half: Scott Benton.
Props: David Flatman, Julian White, Trevor Woodman, Phil Vickery, Will Green. Hookers: Neil McCarthy, Dorian West, Andy Long. Locks: Steve Borthwick, Rob Fidler, Dave Sims. Back row: Joe Worsley, Pat Sanderson, Richard Pool -Jones, Ben Sturnham.
