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Mike Tindall will lead England out for the first time on Friday, when he captains the side in their Six Nations opener against Wales.

The 32-year-old has taken over the captaincy during Tests but has had to wait until his 67th cap to have the honour from the start.

Tindall had been vying with Harlequins No8 Nick Easter for the job after regular skipper Lewis Moody was ruled out of the first three matches of the championship with a knee injury.

Although Martin Johnson today gave Tindall the nod for the Millennium Stadium he expects Easter to marshal the pack and inexperienced scrum-half Ben Youngs.

"Nick will do a good job leading the forwards, he's closer in to the play there and will give us direction with Ben and Toby [Flood] at 10," said the team manager. "Mike's a good captain, very experienced, but if he's not there we've got Nick, Louis Deacon, who's had a real good week as well - it's good to have him back and in good form."

Leicester lock Deacon has come in for Courtney Lawes, who has a knee injury, and is one of three changes to the side defeated 21-11 by South Africa in November.

The others are at flanker with Moody's open-side slot going to Stade Francais' James Haskell. Hendre Fourie had been earmarked for the No7 role but the Leeds man has been troubled by a calf injury in recent weeks.

Tom Wood will win his first cap after being handed the No6 shirt ahead of the experienced Joe Worsley. The 24-year-old was not in the original 33-man squad but has been promoted from the Saxons straight into the XV because he offers a genuine line-out option, something England lack with the absence of Tom Croft, who broke his shoulder against the Springboks.

Wood is in his first year with Heineken Cup quarter-finalists Northampton after three seasons at Worcester.

Johnson said: "Would Tom have got there with all the guys fit? He probably wouldn't, but he's worth a look and worth his place. The way he's playing, most importantly, with his club, is pretty impressive.

"It's not great to have guys injured but great to get Tom on the field in a big-time Test match. He's 24, so he's not in his first year of it, he's got a bit of experience.

"Tom's good in the breakdown, even though he's an aerial player, Louis is also a good all-round player, very good at the breakdown and very good organisationally in the line-out, so I think we're fine. We've got good carrying ability in that back five as well with James coming in, all those back-row guys are slightly different and it is a good combination we've got."

In a move that highlights England's tactics, the bench includes Bath back Matt Banahan, who will cover centre, wing and full-back and will be expected to bring his highly muscular play to the part at some point in Cardiff.

Dylan Hartley is at hooker which puts him in the eye of a potential storm as he has been singled out for criticism by Wales coach Warren Gatland after incidents during Northampton's recent match with Cardiff Blues. Jonny Wilkinson, injured during the autumn Tests, is recalled to the bench where he joins Simon Shaw, Steve Thompson and Worsley, giving Johnson four World Cup winners to call upon.

Talk of this autumn's World Cup has featured prominently in the build-up to the game but Johnson is refusing to look too far ahead.

He said: "Regardless of what's happening later in the year - we all know about that - this is still a big game."

Gatland also announced his match-squad today and has gone for James Hook at full-back rather than fellow Lion Lee Byrne, who features among the replacements.

Gatland has paired Jamie Roberts and Jonathan Davies together in midfield, with Scarlets wing Morgan Stoddart wearing the No14 shirt that was destined for Leigh Halfpenny until he injured his ankle in training two days ago.

As expected, Ospreys props Paul James and Craig Mitchell fill the vacancies created by injured Lions Gethin Jenkins and Adam Jones, while London Wasps' Andy Powell packs down at No8.

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