England manager Martin Johnson made two changes in an expanded 33-man squad announced yesterday for next month’s Six Nations championship.

Leicester lock Louis Deacon replaces the banned Gloucester second row Dave Attwood while Wasps scrum-half Joe Simpson comes in for injured club-mate Dominic Waldouck.

Leicester loose forward Tom Croft and Northampton second row Courtney Lawes – who have been ruled out of the tournament through shoulder and knee injuries – were included in the squad pending the naming of replacements.

Johnson has also added fly-half Charlie Hodgson into the player pool for the tournament, which kicks off against Wales in Cardiff on February 4.

Deacon returns to the squad after missing last year’s tour to Australia and the autumn internationals with a back injury, which enabled the combative Attwood to step up and impress Johnson.

Attwood, however, was ruled out of England’s opening matches against Wales and Italy after being banned for stamping during Gloucester’s recent European Challenge Cup defeat to La Rochelle.

Attwood was named in England’s second-tier Saxons squad although he could return to the senior ranks to replace Lawes once his suspension has run its course.