• Second-rower set for first start after Tom Palmer dropped
• Ben Youngs and Phil Dowson likely to start on bench
England have sprung a surprise by omitting the experienced Tom Palmer from their matchday squad for Saturday's Six Nations game against Wales at Twickenham. Palmer is set to be replaced in the starting XV by Leicester's Geoff Parling, who has yet to start a Test for his country but is now poised to organise England's lineout and pack down alongside Mouritz Botha in the second row.
Parling, who was born in Stockton-on-Tees and spent six years playing for Newcastle before switching to Leicester in 2009, was sidelined for nine months last year after damaging his knee ligaments but won a belated first cap off the bench against Scotland this month.
The 28-year-old, renowned for his competitive spirit, also featured as a replacement against Italy in Rome and impressed his new colleagues with a rousing rendition of I Love You Baby on the team bus following the victory in Edinburgh.
England's interim coach, Stuart Lancaster, could still theoretically promote the fit-again Courtney Lawes to the starting XV but neither Lawes nor Botha runs the lineout for Northampton and Saracens respectively. With Alun Wyn Jones fit to resume in the Welsh second row alongside the 6ft 8in Ian Evans, the aerial battle is suddenly assuming major significance as the visitors seek to secure a Triple Crown and a rare win at Twickenham, where they have won only once since 1988. "I think Wales will have been doing a lot of work there," said Graham Rowntree, the England forwards coach.
The home side's matchday 22 is now certain to contain three changes, with Lawes, Toby Flood and Manu Tuilagi not among the nine players released back to their clubs by Lancaster. They have replaced Palmer, Jordan Turner-Hall and Mike Brown, with Chris Brooker, Calum Clark, Paul Doran-Jones, Joe Marler, Joe Simpson and Thomas Waldrom also surplus to requirements.
"We've had a great two days of training and some difficult selection decisions with players coming back into the equation," said Lancaster. "Some players have missed out this time but their attitude in training has been outstanding."
He will confirm his starting lineup on Thursday, having hinted that Tuilagi may have to make do with a seat on the bench, alongside Ben Youngs and Phil Dowson who are expected to make way for Lee Dickson at scrum-half and Ben Morgan at No8. England's scramble defence and team spirit so far has been admirable and Lancaster may yet keep faith with the settled Saracens trio of Charlie Hodgson, Owen Farrell and Brad Barritt.
Rowntree has labelled the Welsh "a complete outfit" and accepts the home side are the underdogs. "They are the form team, coming to Twickenham as favourites for the first time in a long time. They have a great opportunity to come to Twickenham and roll us at the weekend. Wales play at an intensity, speed and physicality we haven't played against yet.
"They pose challenges all over the field from the set piece to the breakdown and with the amount of people in space you have to mark them all the time. They would also have taken great confidence from the World Cup and a great win in Ireland. They will be fancying their chances.
"I worked with these guys on the Lions tour [in 2009]. I have been impressed by their skill and they are good guys as well. It is hard to dislike this Welsh team but I'll do my best."
Rowntree also says he is confident England will match Wales for fitness. "They're not the only international team on the planet who think fitness is important. I'm confident where we are fitness-wise … I'm sure we'll be up to the challenge.
"We have only scored two tries from charge-downs but our endeavour is good. Scotland threw everything at us and over in Italy, in difficult conditions, in the second half, we showed with a bit of ball how we can attack. This is the next game and I think we are going to be able to step up."