Ken Borland

Toby Flood has replaced Owen Farrell at flyhalf for England for the second Test against South Africa, which should indicate a more expansive approach from the visitors at Ellis Park on Saturday.

Flood’s call-up is one of five changes – two positional – that have been made to the side which lost the first Test 22-17 in Durban last weekend.

Inside centre Brad Barritt has been ruled out due to surgery on a lacerated eyeball, with Manu Tuilagi, who was outside centre, shifting into the number 12 jersey.

Jonathan Joseph, who was Barritt’s replacement when he left the field in the second half last weekend, will replace Tuilagi at outside centre and make his first Test start.

Fullback Mike Brown, who was sent home earlier this week due to a fractured thumb, has been replaced by Ben Foden, who was left wing in the first Test.

David Strettle, who was impressive during the Six Nations campaign, returns to the number 11 jersey.

“There will be a different emphasis in terms of the personnel that have been picked, but playing in the right areas is still first and foremost. We don’t want to expend too much energy playing in our own half,” England coach Stuart Lancaster told a news conference in Johannesburg on Thursday.

The 20-year-old Farrell’s goalkicking was impressive during the first Test but he only used his backline sporadically. Flood is expected to provide more vision and attacking spark to the backs.

“Owen has had a fantastic season and I am sure he will make a significant impact from the bench. However, Toby has waited patiently for his opportunity and the time is right to allow him the chance to demonstrate his experience and skills in what will be a very tough challenge,” Lancaster said.

“Toby will form a Leicester triumvirate with Ben Youngs and Manu Tuilagi and hopefully they can bring that synergy at club level into the test.

“Having two ball-players in the backline is important for the balance, but we have to prepare for both attack and defence, and recognise the threat the Springboks pose through the midfield channels. We have to win the gain-line battle and we have a better opportunity of doing that with Manu more able to get over when he’s playing one place inside. If he gets over the gain-line, then hopefully the two ball-players outside him can capitalise,” Lancaster said.

England’s starting pack, which was outplayed by the Springboks in the second half, remains unchanged, but reserve prop Paul Doran-Jones has been replaced by fit-again Alex Corbisiero on the bench.

Joseph’s place on the bench has been taken by Alex Goode.

“Jonathan is exciting, he has good feet and is a good distributor, plus he has the temperament to play at this level,” Lancaster said.

Team – 15-Ben Foden, 14-Chris Ashton, 13-Jonathan Joseph, 12-Manusamoa Tuilagi, 11-David Strettle (Saracens), 10-Toby Flood, 9-Ben Youngs, 8 Ben Morgan, 7-Chris Robshaw, 6-Tom Johnson, 5-Geoff Parling, 4-Mouritz Botha, 3-Dan Cole, 2-Dylan Hartley, 1-Joe Marler. Replacements: 16-Lee Mears, 17-Alex Corbisiero, 18-Tom Palmer, 19-Phil Dowson, 20-Lee Dickson, 21-Owen Farrell, 22-Alex Goode.

Eighthman Thomas Waldrom and wing Christian Wade crossed for five tries between them, but it was not one-way traffic for England in their 54-26 (halftime 25-14) victory over the Southern Barbarians in Kimberley on Wednesday.

Waldrom scored tries in the 18th and 50th minutes in a powerhouse display, while Wade showed tremendous pace and finishing ability in scoring well-taken tries in the 20th, 63rd and 81st minutes. England’s other tries were scored by wing George Lowe, lock Graham Kitchener and scrumhalf Danny Care.

But England were hesitant in defence and conceded four tries to the Southern Barbarians, a team made up of non-SuperRugby players.

Flyhalf Charlie Hodgson had a mixed afternoon with the boot, only succeeding with six of his 10 shots at goal.

England scored three tries in five minutes between the 18th and 23rd minutes to take a 25-7 lead, but were only able to add five more tries in the second half, with the half-century only coming up thanks to two tries in the last four minutes.

Waldrom produced a top-class, combative performance against a plucky but outmatched second division combination, while Care was a lively presence at the base of the rucks and scrums.

The scrumhalf was adept at probing the numerous holes in the Barbarians defence, while Waldrom and inside centre Jordan Turner-Hall created space on attack.

The key moment for England came in the 63rd minute when the Barbarians, trailing 21-35, were hard on attack, but they failed to protect their ruck ball and Anthony Allen managed to intercept a 50/50 pass from the ground. The outside centre padded his way upfield before passing inside for Wade to speed away for a try that gave England enough breathing space.

Scorers

Southern Barbarians – Tries: Jacques Engelbrecht, Hannes Franklin, Norman Nelson, Ntabeni Dukisa. Conversions: Elgar Watts (3).

England – Tries: Thomas Waldrom (2), Christian Wade (3), George Lowe, Graham Kitchener, Danny Care. Conversions: Charlie Hodgson (4). Penalties: Hodgson (2).

Pat Lambie returns at fullback while prop Werner Kruger and wing Bjorn Basson come on to the bench in the only changes to South Africa’s side for the second Test against England, Springbok coach Heyneke Meyer announced on Wednesday.

Lambie, who came on for the second half of South Africa’s 22-17 first Test win over England in Durban, replaces the injured Zane Kirchner. The Sharks utility back was the starting fullback during the Springboks’ World Cup campaign last year.

Kruger is a tighthead prop who comes in for Coenie Oosthuizen, who can play on both sides of the scrum but suffered a neck injury last weekend that will keep him out of the rest of the series.

Dean Greyling, a similarly versatile front-ranker, was called into the squad this week, but Meyer told a news conference in Johannesburg on Wednesday that specialist Kruger had been brought into the 22 because starting tighthead Jannie du Plessis is being managed for a calf injury.

“Greyling is a very good impact player and can play both sides, but Jannie has a slight injury so we wanted specialist cover for him,” Meyer said.

The Springbok coach said he was not expecting to lose anything with Lambie replacing Kirchner.

“Pat’s a great player and still very young – people forget he’s just 21. He brings something different, more attacking options, and he had a superb second half last week. In training, he’s shown some brilliant touches in attack.

“Zane is a very good tactical kicker, but I’ve been meeting with Pat, who is also a great kicker, but I want him to improve his tactical kicking. He’s very good under the high ball and very good defensively even though he’s not very big, so we won’t lose much and I’m very confident he will do well,” Meyer said.

“I wanted to keep some continuity in the team because they played reasonably well last week and there are a lot of youngsters who will now know the game plan better,” Meyer said in explaining his decision to make just one injury-enforced change to the starting line-up.

Basson, who takes Lambie’s place on the bench, has claimed six test caps since making his debut in 2010 and his strength is in competing for the ball in the air.

Team – 15-Pat Lambie, 14-JP Pietersen, 13-Jean de Villiers, 12-Francois Steyn, 11-Bryan Habana, 10-Morne Steyn, 9-Francois Hougaard, 8-Pierre Spies, 7-Willem Alberts, 6-Marcell Coetzee, 5-Juandre Kruger, 4-Eben Etzebeth, 3-Jannie du Plessis, 2-Bismarck du Plessis, 1-Tendai Mtawarira. Bench: 16-Adriaan Strauss, 17-Werner Kruger, 18-Flip van der Merwe, 19-Keegan Daniel, 20-Ruan Pienaar, 21-Wynand Olivier, 22-Bjorn Basson.

Experienced loose forward James Haskell is delighted to be back with an England side he believes is playing with the same passion as the All Blacks.

Haskell has spent the last six months with the Otago Highlanders in New Zealand, following stints in Japan with the Ricoh Black Rams and two years in France for Stade Francais. The 27-year-old will return to London Wasps, for whom he played for seven years, at the end of the SuperRugby season.

Haskell earned 42 test caps between 2007 and last year’s World Cup and is one of the few “old guard” that new England coach Stuart Lancaster has retained after taking over the reins for the Six Nations at the start of 2012.

“I’ve always said that my reason for playing rugby is to play for my country and this is a very exciting new set-up. I was told Stuart wanted to rebuild the passion and mentality of the team, and I want to be a part of that, it’s very exciting,” Haskell says in Johannesburg during England’s build-up for the second test against South Africa.

“Stuart has made it like the All Blacks – the shirt is not yours, you have to fight for it and I’m happy to fit in with that. I may have 42 caps, but I’m back right at the bottom of the ladder and in this team, experience doesn’t count for much,” Haskell says without a hint of bitterness.

While the well-travelled Haskell is clearly built for physical confrontation at 114kg and 1.94 metres tall, he believes he has become a better player now for more cerebral reasons.

“The difference is in small percentages and in things that aren’t so tangible. I hope I’m more consistent and my game-understanding is better.

“They have a very attacking mentality in New Zealand, they get a lot of quick ball and it’s all about one-on-one battles and pace and speed. If they can beat their opposite number, then it’s a try.”

Haskell suggests there is an air of predictability about English rugby and that of their current opponents, South Africa.

“We have the talent and passion, but it’s those little nuances and mental stuff that we need. Like learning from other countries what they do well and speaking to other coaches.

“We can maybe not be so robotic. I’ve learnt from Adam Thomson and Andrew Hore at the Highlanders that, bar knowing what foot they kick off and their basic pattern, they don’t know anything about the opposition. They just worry about their game plan. You can become caught up in talking about your opposition too much,” Haskell says.

While Lancaster is not expected to tamper with the current test loose trio led by captain Chris Robshaw, Haskell will be out to impress on Wednesday against the Southern Barbarians in Kimberley.

“There’s a lot of competition in the back row but there’s no rush. I’ll just play on Wednesday and do my best to live up to Stuart’s expectations,” the former U21 star says.

Although he is playing in the number six jersey on Wednesday, Haskell says the proof of his ability will be in far more than just stealing the ball at the breakdowns.

“I played eighthman in Japan and a bit at 6 for the Highlanders, but at 7 for the rest and that’s my favourite position. I love the battles and the speed of the game, but the England captain is currently number seven!

“But the days of a flank just trying to get over the ball are probably gone. You need to be a ball-carrier and disruptive on to the ball. Just look at Richie McCaw, he carries the ball well and reads the breakdown brilliantly.”

While New Zealand’s brand of rugby has clearly stolen Haskell’s heart, he also has admiration for the steel of the Springboks.

“South African rugby, especially the Bulls and Stormers, is more about physical attrition. You know what’s coming, there’s a certain predictability, but you have to be on top of your game to stop it! If you don’t match their intensity then they’ll boss the gain-line and then play from there,” Haskell says, before warning that a Springbok side that thinks a little more out of the box would be impossible to contain.

“If the Boks learn things like tip-ons (offloads), then they’ll blow everyone away.”

While Haskell says he is looking forward to playing his rugby in England once again, he has clearly learnt much in foreign climes.

“I’ve been away for three years which means I’ve been around a bit. It’s helped me off the field as well, but it’s been invaluable playing outside of Europe, especially in SuperRugby,” Haskell says.