LONDON Irish prop Neal Hatley will captain England Saxons in the opening match of the Barclays Churchill Cup against the USA at Edgeley Park on Friday night (7.45pm).
Bromsgrove-born Jordan Crane will start at number 8 following his early release by Leicester Tigers ahead of the Heineken Cup this weekend.
Former Worcester Warrior Richard Blaze, who is signing for Leicester this summer, lines up at four.
Saxons coach Jim Mallinder said: "Neil is vastly experienced and, following another very successful season at London Irish, is well respected by all the squad. His experience and leadership will be crucial to us on the pitch."
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules hereComments are closed on this article