Johnson's focus on attack to kickstart England

The World Cup-winning captain has made six changes to the side that lost to New Zealand last November for Saturday's Six Nations opener with Wales at Twickenham.

The return from the wilderness of Mathew Tait, and from injury of Delon Armitage and Riki Flutey, are the most eye-catching, for the mobility and speed they offer in the backline.

Tait makes his first start at outside centre since the World Cup final defeat in Paris in 2007, while Armitage returns at full-back and Flutey starts at inside centre.

The latter pair were badly missed during a forgettable autumn campaign when England laboured to victory against Argentina and lost to Australia and the Kiwis.

Leeds-born scrum-half Danny Care began the November Test against Australia but was axed in favour of London Irish's Paul Hodgson for the remaining games.

However, Care's impressive form for his club side Harlequins has earned him a recall and what will be a 15th cap for the lively No 9.

Add to that the presence of Jonny Wilkinson at fly-half for the fourth England game in succession, with Mark Cueto and Ugo Monye on the wings, and Johnson has at last assembled his strongest back division.

Where November was dominated by injuries and became a damage-limitation exercise, the England of February and March promises to be more expressive.

"We have talked about what we want to do," said Johnson, whose side scored only one try in three games last November.

"We were maybe a little bit too prescriptive in the autumn and there were reasons for that. We know we have got to be more effective.

"We trust the guys to go out and play. Matt Tait is a massive talent and an instinctive player. He can also defend very well and he has a good kicking game.

"Danny is probably the best running nine that we have. He is playing very well and he is the best guy for what we want to do on Saturday.

"The guys have got to make the instinctive calls within the pressures of a Test match and we trust them to do that.

"When the opportunities are there we have to be able to see them and take them."

Tait's career has come full circle since making his international debut as a teenage centre against Wales's Grand Slam side of 2005.

Since then he has been shunted around the back line, filling on the wing and at full-back, but never really given a run in his preferred No 13 jersey except at the 2007 World Cup.

Johnson first considered Tait as a full-back but has only ever used him from the bench, until now.

"We were always thinking about using Tait's talents on the field," said Johnson.

"He has a great all-round game, kicking, attacking and he is under-rated in defence. It is

good to get him on the pitch.

"Tait has been through a heck of a lot. He is just coming up to 24. He is a bright, mature guy. He understands what he has got to do. He will play the game as he sees it."

Veteran lock Simon Shaw continues alongside captain Steve Borthwick in the second row, with the promising Courtney Lawes absent because of a groin injury.

Nick Easter makes a welcome return at No 8 after missing the entire November campaign, like Armitage and Flutey, through injury.

Johnson said: "Nick's leadership has been vital for us. He is a strength in that area and it is nice to get him back into the group because he is playing well for Harlequins.

"With Riki and Delon, we picked them all through last year and they took their chance. Riki ended the season as a Lion.

"It was frustrating not having him and Delon in the autumn, because you want them to progress in their second season."

England's biggest area of concern, however, is in the front row, where Wales boast an all-Lions Test unit in Gethin Jenkins, Matthew Rees and Adam Jones.

Tim Payne has retained the loose-head jersey despite his recent struggles with Wasps and David Wilson returns at tight-head with Dylan Hartley at hooker. The uncapped Leicester prop Dan Cole is on the bench.

Wales's Lee Byrne has succeeded in an appeal against the two-week ban imposed by European Rugby Cup following his brief appearance as an illegal 16th player during the Ospreys' Heineken Cup victory over Leicester.

The suspension has been replaced by a fine of E5,000, and Byrne will now be available for Wales against England on Saturday.

England team: D Armitage (London Irish); M Cueto (Sale Sharks), M Tait (Sale Sharks),

R Flutey (Brive), U Monye (Harlequins);

J Wilkinson (Toulon), D Care (Harlequins);

T Payne (Wasps), D Hartley (Northampton),

D Wilson (Bath), S Shaw (Wasps), S Borthwick (Saracens, capt), J Haskell (Stade Francais),

L Moody (Leicester), N Easter (Harlequins).

Replacements: S Thompson (Brive), D Cole (Leicester), L Deacon (Leicester), S Armitage (London Irish), P Hodgson (London Irish),

T Flood (Leicester), B Foden (Northampton).