Newport Gwent Dragons threequarter Hal Luscombe makes his Six Nations Championship debut for Wales on Saturday - and it couldn't be tougher.

For Luscombe steps in on the wing against world champions England in the cauldron of the Millennium Stadium when a nation will expect Wales to deliver a first victory over the old enemy in Cardiff for 12 years.

Luscombe will win his eighth cap and is in on the right wing, probably owing his place to the enforced absence of Sonny Parker, who has not recovered from his neck injury.

Tom Shanklin had been lined up for a place on the right wing after scoring eight tries in three games during the Autumn, but he now switches to the centre in place of Parker with Luscombe back on the wing after a knee injury curtailed his appearances in November.

He will face a tough enough task, coming up against Josh Lewsey, one of England's few survivors from the World Cup.

But offsetting the loss of Parker is the unexpected return on Martyn Williams, who only a week ago was ruled out, also with a neck injury, along with Colin Charvis.

Richie Pugh was set for his Wales debut, but Williams made a quicker than expected recovery and he starts which is about the best Wales could have hoped for under the circumstances.

The one surprise in the Welsh team is the recall of lock Robert Sidoli in place of veteran Gareth Llewellyn, who, most pundits expected to hold on to his position.

But Sidoli's return to form for Cardiff Blues after being sidelined with groin trouble has persuaded coach Mike Ruddock to recall him.

The other member of the Newport Gwent Dragons squad in the team is Michael Owen, now established at number eight again after being switched to lock by Ruddock's predecessor Steve Hansen.

But the Dragons have three players among the replacements in half backs Gareth Cooper and Ceri Sweeney and Kevin Morgan, as cover at full back or wing, who has been rewarded for a superb comeback with the Dragons after a variety of injury problems.