Borthwick named England captain
by Gareth Maher, 13 May 2008
Steve Borthwick has been named the England captain for their summer tour of New Zealand.
The experienced second row has taken over from Phil Vickery for the tour as new head coach Martin Johnson begins his put his own stamp on the team.
28-year-old Borthwick has earned thirty seven caps so far and first captained the side in a RBS Six Nations match against Italy this year, but the Bath forward will now lead the team out in June against the All Blacks.
"Steve was the obvious choice. He is very well respected among the squad, an established international player and a very good leader," said Johnson.
"He is a model player the way he approaches the game and was a natural choice to lead the squad.
"But lots of other guys have a leadership influence on the team. I think people always put too much emphasis on who is the captain."
Johnson will not travel with the squad on the tour as his wife is expecting a child, so Director of Elite Rugby Rob Andrew will be in charge of team affairs for the two-test tour.
There are a few surprises in the squad with Jonny Wilkinson and Lewis Moody not considered due to injury, but there is no room for Simon Shaw, Lesley Vainikolo, or Iain Balshaw.
Amongst the new faces are Danny Care, Jason Hobson, Topsy Ojo, Dylan Hartley, Nick Kennedy, and David Paice, with James Haskell, David Strettle, Mike Tindall, and Olly Barkley all earning recalls.
England squad
Backs: M Brown [Harlequins], P Sackey [Wasps], D Strettle [Harlequins], T Ojo [London Irish], M Tait [Newcastle], M Tindall [Gloucester], J Noon [Newcastle], T Flood [Newcastle], O Barkley [Bath], D Cipriani [Wasps], C Hodgson [Sale Sharks], R Wigglesworth [Sale Sharks], P Richards [London Irish], D Care [Harlequins].
Forwards: A Sheridan [Sale Sharks], T Payne [Wasps], M Stevens [Bath], J Hobson [Bristol], L Mears [Bath], D Hartley [Northampton], D Paice [London Irish], S Borthwick [Bath, capt], B Kay [Leicester], N Kennedy [London Irish], T Palmer [Wasps], T Croft [Leicester], J Haskell [Wasps], J Worsley [Wasps], M Lipman [Bath], T Rees [Wasps], N Easter [Harlequins], L Narraway [Gloucester].