WARRIORS skipper Pat Sanderson has won a place in the starting line-up for England's showdown with World Cup favourites New Zealand at Twickenham on Sunday.

But the 28-year-old has been overlooked for the job of captain, which he performed in the national side's last two Test matches during the summer.

Sanderson retains the number eight shirt he wore during the tour of Australia but Martin Corry returns to the side as captain.

Corry will play on the blind-side with Leicester's Lewis Moody making up the back row.

The Worcester player is not even among the three vice-captains named for the first of England's four autumn internationals.

England head coach Andy Robinson has handed Test debuts to Gloucester centre Anthony Allen and Bristol scrum-half Shaun Perry.

There are no places in the starting line-up for Josh Lewsey, Mathew Tait or James Forrester, who have all suffered injuries over the past few days.

"Martin captained the England team very well last year and throughout those matches led the side from the front," said Robinson. "Charlie Hodgson, Ben Kay and Shaun Perry have been named as vice-captains for this game. All three have a major impact on the way we play and I am very confident they will give Martin valuable assistance."

While Sanderson will now miss his club's visit to Leicester on Saturday, the good news for Worcester fans is that five of the home side's players have been named in Robinson's starting XV.

England: Balshaw (Gloucester), Cueto (Sale), Noon (Newcastle), Allen (Gloucester), Cohen (Northampton), Hodgson (Sale), Perry (Bristol), Sheridan (Sale), Chuter (Leicester), White (Leicester), Grewcock (Bath), Kay (Leicester), Corry (Leicester), Moody (Leicester), Sanderson (Worcester).