Dallaglio gets the armband

Dallaglio's appointment will be seen by many as the ideal short-term choice, given England's need to maintain impetus after their World Cup triumph of last November.

Johnson's international retirement left a big hole to fill, in captaincy terms as much as that of a player, and Dallaglio certainly has the experience and character required for the challenge.

He has captained England on 14 occasions, after succeeding Phil de Glanville, but lost the job soon after the 1999 Five Nations had ended with Wales denying England a Grand Slam with a late Scott Gibbs try at Wembley.

In a newspaper sting, The News Of The World revealed that he had claimed to have been involved in drug taking and dealing, allegations that Dallaglio later denied. Following an Rugby Football Union inquiry, he pleaded guilty to bringing the game into disrepute and stepped down from the captaincy.

Dallaglio has won 65 England caps overall, after making his debut against South Africa in November 1995.

He was singled out for criticism from Woodward during last year's World Cup, but was the only England player to play every minute of the campaign.

Woodward today selected 29 of the 31 players used during the World Cup - the exceptions are Johnson and wing Dan Luger, who has been omitted by mutual consent.

Stuart Abbott is in the 43-man Six Nations squad but is set to miss the first two games of the championship due to an ankle injury.

Meanwhile, Brian O'Driscoll has been named as Ireland skipper for the Six Nations, even though he has yet to fully recover from a hamstring injury. The centre takes over from Keith Wood, who retired after the World Cup.