Matt Banahan called up by England to take on Samoa

England have made four changes to the side to face Samoa at Twickenham on Saturday, with Matt Banahan the most notable selection at outside centre, as Martin Johnson looks to give fringe players a run out ahead of next week's clash with the world champions South Africa. The 23-year-old Bath player, who won his previous five caps on the wing, steps in for Mike Tindall. The other changes are made in the pack. Hendrie Fourie start for the first time in place of Lewis Moody at openside flanker with James Haskell stepping in for Tom Croft at blindside. Nick Easter, the No8, will captain the side in Moody's absence, while David Wilson replaces Dan Cole at tighthead prop. Otherwise, Johnson has retained the core of the team that sealed a record 35-18 victory over Australia last Saturday. Easter has previously captained England in non-cap internationals against the Barbarians in 2008 and at the end of last season but he has never led his country into a Test match. Johnson's biggest call this week was at outside centre. Delon Armitage provided cover for the position in England's recent back-to-back victories over the Wallabies. But England's attack coach Brian Smith has long identified Banahan, already a lock-turned-wing, as a potential Test-class outside centre. Banahan will form an all-Bath midfield partnership with Shontayne Hape, while the Leicester pair Ben Youngs and Toby Flood continue at half-back. Tom Palmer and Courtney Lawes get the chance to further their blossoming second row partnership, with Dave Attwood back on the bench and poised to win his second cap. Johnson was keen to put Saturday's victory behind them to focus on producing a professional performance against Samoa. "It's about picking the best team to play this week against Samoa," he said. "They are a very dangerous side and could have won that game against Ireland at the weekend. They have got our full attention this week for this game." Johnson is satisfied Banahan is ready to excel at outside centre. "He's played a number of Test matches on the wing and done very well," said the England boss. "As a young player he has learned what it is to come in and be a Test player. His condition is far better than it has been. "The physical side is obvious but I think he has skills as well which people maybe underestimate. He's been very, very keen and has practised very well." Johnson was particularly happy with Saturday's performance as the culmination of long-term improvement. He said: "The good thing is that we played well in the last game and have done OK in the game before that [26-16 defeat by New Zealand]. The team is doing well but we want to keep the continuity and we've seen the rewards of that. "We don't want to break it up too much. The performance [against Australia] didn't come out of the clouds, it was a build-up of what we've been doing for a while. "We had a good day, we could have scored more tries and they could have scored more tries. But it's nice as a coach not to be talking about 'if onlys' after a game." England team to play Samoa at Twickenham on Saturday B Foden (Northampton); C Ashton (Northampton), M Banahan (Bath), S Hape (Bath), M Cueto (Sale); T Flood (Leicester), B Youngs (Leicester); A Sheridan (Sale), D Hartley (Northampton), D Wilson (Bath), C Lawes (Northampton), T Palmer (Stade Français), J Haskell (Stade Français), H Fourie (Leeds), N Easter (Harlequins, capt). Replacements: S Thompson (Leeds), D Cole (Leicester), D Attwood (Gloucester), T Croft (Leicester), D Care (Harlequins), C Hodgson (Sale), D Armitage (London Irish).