Martin Johnson has never been one to be thrown out of kilter, whatever the circumstances, so the minimal change made to England's starting XV against South Africa is not unexpected. Ironically, the promotion of James Haskell from the bench, at the expense of Tom Croft, could well have been made a week earlier but Johnson has chosen to give his back-row players more than one opportunity.

Croft, the Leicester blind-side flanker, spent much of the opening game of the Investec Challenge series against the Pacific Islanders in distant parts of the field, hoping to use his pace. Against Australia last weekend he was far more physical but reverts to the replacements where he can cover both flanks, now that Michael Lipman has lost his place in the match-day 22.

Haskell, who did well on tour in New Zealand in June, started this season in muted form with London Wasps, though he was far from alone in that respect. But he does bring considerable presence which will be necessary against a Springbok side seeking to leave an inconsistent year behind on an up-beat note. It is also his chance to demonstrate that the promise so evident last season is ready to be taken a stage further.

There were plenty of possible changes that Johnson, the team manager, could have made after the 28-14 loss to the Wallabies but one of his core beliefs, at this early stage of his management career, has been to avoid the chopping and changing which has characterised England over the last five years. Having received confirmation from the medical team that Andrew Sheridan and Danny Cipriani will have recovered from neck and ankle knocks respectively, they will play their third international in a row.

As it happens, neither loose-head prop nor fly half has played a full season, because of injuries, so they should both be full of running. Given that change must come from within the elite squad, options are limited and Johnson must surely hope that the scrummaging display against Australia, which went so badly downhill after the interval, will not be repeated against South Africa, who have their own problems in the front row.

The other promotion is that of Jordan Crane, Leicester's No 8, to the replacements ahead of Lipman. The uncapped Crane has forged ahead ever since winning a regular place in his club back row, he was named player of the Churchill Cup in Canada last summer and there is every chance that he will make his debut on Saturday after Nick Easter has given his considerable best for an hour.