England - player profiles

DAN LUGER
(wing)
England are not short of powerful runners on the wing but expect Luger, aworld class finisher, to put pressure on last season's spectacular new boyBen Cohen now he has recovered from the groin injury which put him out ofaction for most of last season. Luger has inherited his pace from a motherwho was a teenage sprint star in Czechoslovakia and he has improved it bytraining with Margot Wells, wife of Olympic 100m champion Allan. Luger hasscored a remarkable 12 tries in 16 starts for England and his form forSaracens has been electric, having scored two hat-tricks already.

NEIL BACK
(flanker)
Hard to believe the Leicester Tiger was considered too small at 5ft 10infor the land of the giants which international rugby has become. Back hasproved all the critics wrong and, at 31, this focused player has become anindispensable member of Clive Woodward's team. His trademarks: that blondhair (no peroxide), hunger for work, good hands, quickness around the parkand good tackling. He likes to score tries too so if England's pack producea try expect Back to come up with the ball.

JONNY WILKINSON
(fly half)
This could be the season in which Wilkinson establishes himself as theworld's best outside half and he's still only 21. He's already up therewith the great place kickers and under Rob Andrew at Newcastle, Wilkinsonis showing signs, with that little bit more experience, of becoming themaster tactician. Significantly, he has bulked up in order to take the bighits better and hand them out. Who can forget that tackle on Emile N'tamackin the win over France last season. But it will be Wilkinson's kicking andgrowing ability to bring out the best in England's exciting backs whichcould be the touchstone for the season.

STEVE BORTHWICK
(lock)
Best second row prospect since Martin Johnson. Borthwick is one of the newbreed of athletic ball handling locks and has already established himselfas the best No 2 line-out jumper in England. He's just 20 but his coach atbath, Jon Callard, has predicted more caps for the Carlisle-born playerthan All Black legend Ian Jones. Borthwick was England's outstanding youngplayer in South Africa where his aggressive but intelligent and mature playset him out as a future England captain.