Varndell wings in for England

Three new caps against Australia

Leicester Tigers wing Tom Varndell will make his first Test start, in a side containing three new caps, when England face Australia at the Telstra Stadium in Sydney on Sunday.

Varndell, arguably the most exciting young player in British rugby, will line up on England's right-wing for the first of two Tests againsts the Wallabies.

He made a try-scoring appearance off the bench against Samoa at Twickenham last November, but now features among a starting line-up that also includes newcomers Peter Richards, Alex Brown and Magnus Lund.

Gloucester wing James Simpson-Daniel was expected to pin down a wing berth alongside Wasps' Tom Voyce, but the injury-hit speedster has once again been left cursing his luck.

Simpson-Daniel, whose international career has previously been stalled by a back injury and glandular fever, was admitted to hospital in Sydney on Tuesday after suffering a dead leg during training.

He is likely to be discharged on Wednesday, but his prospects of featuring in the second Test at Melbourne's Telstra Dome on Saturday week appear remote.

And England's injury worries might not end there, given that scrum-half Richards, skipper Pat Sanderson and fly-half replacement Andy Goode all sat out training Wednesday in some overdue Sydney sunshine.

Although all three players are said to be suffering from minor knocks, their combined absence from training will inevitably concern England head coach Andy Robinson.

Elsewhere in the team, there are recalls for 35-year-old Leicester prop Graham Rowntree and London Irish centre Mike Catt – five months Rowntree's junior – with Catt partnering gifted Newcastle prospect Mathew Tait in midfield.

There are just three starting XV survivors from England's last Test – the Six Nations Championship defeat against Twickenham visitors Ireland three months ago – in Voyce, hooker Lee Mears and flank Lewis Moody.

Varndell, a Commonwealth Games silver medallist in Melbourne earlier this year when England were beaten to sevens gold by New Zealand, faces a mouth-watering clash opposite blockbusting Wallabies wing Lote Tuqiri.

But he won't be short on confidence, having won the Professional Rugby Players' and Premiership young player of the season awards last month.

Like Varndell, Sale Sharks openside flank Lund has high hopes of making England's World Cup squad in France next year.

Manchester-born Lund, the 91cm son of a Norwegian basketball international, produced an immense display when Sale were crowned Premiership champions by defeating Leicester at Twickenham last month.

He has been named, though, in the number six shirt, with Moody at seven and Wasps World Cup winner Joe Worsley resigned to probably winning his 50th cap from the bench.

Richards, meanwhile, has seen off the challenge of uncapped scrum-half rivals Nick Walshe and Scott Bemand to partner Bath's Olly Barkley, although Walshe will start if injury dashes Richards' hopes.

Robinson must also keep his fingers crossed that Sanderson reports no further ill-effects from what is thought to be a back complaint, with 65 times-capped Catt a likely captain in his absence.

Catt will enjoy a first England start since the 51-15 defeat against Australia in Brisbane two years ago, while Gloucester lock Brown finally makes a Test breakthrough.

Brown was earmarked for a Test bow against Australia at Twickenham seven months ago, but a neck injury dashed those hopes.

England are seeking only their third victory on Australian soil when they line up at Telstra Stadium this weekend.

But the absence of numerous rested stars – including Charlie Hodgson, Josh Lewsey, Steve Thompson, Martin Corry and Lawrence Dallaglio – means they face a Herculean task.

England: 15 Iain Balshaw (Gloucester), 14 Tom Varndell (Leicester Tigers), 13 Mathew Tait (Newcastle Falcons), 12 Mike Catt (London Irish), 11 Tom Voyce (Gloucester), 10 Olly Barkley (Bath), 9 Peter Richards (Gloucester), 8 Pat Sanderson (Worcester Warriors), 7 Lewis Moody (Leicester Tigers), 6 Magnus Lund (Sale Sharks), 5 Alex Brown (Gloucester), 4 Louis Deacon (Leicester Tigers), 3 Julian White (Leicester Tigers), 2 Lee Mears (Bath), 1 Graham Rowntree (Leicester Tigers).
Replacements: 16 George Chuter (Leicester Tigers), 17 Tim Payne (London Wasps), 18 Chris Jones (Sale Sharks), 19 Joe Worsley (London Wasps), 20 Nick Walshe (Bath), 21 Andy Goode (Leicester Tigers), 22 Jamie Noon (Newcastle Falcons).

Date: Sunday, June 11
Kick-off: 20.00 (10.00 GMT)
Venue: Telstra Stadium, Sydney
Referee: Alan Lewis (Ireland)
Touch judges: Steve Walsh (New Zealand), Kelvin Deaker (New Zealand)
Television match official: Craig Joubert (South Africa)
Assessor: Bob Francis (New Zealand)