Johnno's sticking with tried and tested.

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MARTIN JOHNSON kicked off England's new era by naming a host of familiar names for this summer's two-Test showdown with New Zealand.A The World Cup-winning captain was ushered into the the specially-created position of manager after the RFU decided second place in both the World Cup and Six Nations wasn't good enough. And even though the English rugby legend will not be travelling south with the squad, there has been much expectation surrounding the appointment and his first squad selection.

Johnson named Steve Borthwick as his first captain and the powerful lock will lead a 32-man squad that includes six uncapped players.A A Anyone expecting the new manager to stamp his authority on the side by naming a pack of youngsters clearly hadn't remembered the one thing that set 'Johnno' apart form his peers in his playing days - his willingness to win at all costs.

And although a tour of New Zealand sounds daunting, with the Kiwis in some disarray after losing several players to European clubs, Johnson thinks England can come out on top against the All Blacks. But admits it won't be easy. "It is as tough a tour as you will ever go on, going to New Zealand," he said. "They have lost a lot of players, but there's never been a bad All Black team in the history of the game. They will have a few guys in there who weren't starters in previous seasons. But they will all have international experience and they will be a formidable side."

Borthwick takes over from injured prop Phil Vickery as skipper, with Johnson insisting he was the No.1 candidate for the job.A "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." Apart from Vickery, who has a knee injury, other absentees from the Six Nations campaign include fly-half Jonny Wilkinson, who is out becauseA of shoulder surgery, Wasps lock Simon Shaw and Bristol hooker Mark Regan.

The newcomers are London Irish wing Topsy Ojo, Harlequins scrum-half Danny Care, Bristol prop Jason Hobson, Northampton hooker Dylan Hartley, Irish hooker David Paice and his club colleague, lock Nick Kennedy. The major selection casualties appear to be Gloucester backs Iain Balshaw and Lesley Vainikolo.

Full-back Balshaw started all five of England's Six Nations Tests, while former Bradford Bulls wing Vainikolo made his debut off the bench against Wales and then kept his place for the remaining four fixtures. World Cup-winning centre Mike Tindall is recalled after it looked as if his season was over following a serious injury against Wales at Twickenham.

Tindall spent three days in the intensive care unit of a London hospital sufferingA problems to his liver and internal bleeding. But he returned to action in Gloucester's European Cup quarter-final defeat against Munster and was widely regarded as Borthwick's chief rival for the captaincy. England rugby supremo Rob Andrew, who had a big hand in sacking Johnson's predecessor Brian Ashton, will have the task of being the tour manager.

ENGLAND SQUAD: Backs: M Brown, P Sackey, D Strettle, T Ojo, M Tait, M Tindall, J Noon, T Flood, O Barkley, D Cipriani, C Hodgson, R Wigglesworth, P Richards, D Care.

Forwards: A Sheridan, T Payne, M Stevens, J Hobson, L Mears, D Hartley, D Paice, S Borthwick (capt), B Kay, N Kennedy, T Palmer, T Croft, J Haskell, J Worsley, M Lipman, T Rees, N Easter, L Narraway.

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