England suffered a late injury blow when Lewis Moody was ruled out of today's RBS 6 Nations Championship opener against Wales in Cardiff.

Leicester flanker Moody has struggled all week to recover from a hamstring injury and was finally been forced to concede defeat yesterday.

Sale Sharks forward Chris Jones, who made his England debut in last season's Six Nations, will replace World Cup-winner Moody at blindside flanker alongside Andy Hazell and Joe Worsley in the back row.

Jones, 24, has not played for England since the first Test against New Zealand in Dunedin last summer.

SWINDON-BORN Alex Crockett moves to inside centre for Bath in tonight's sell-out home clash with runaway Zurich Premiership leaders Leicester Tigers (7.45pm).

Crockett will partner Andrew Higgins in midfield, while wing Joe Maddock, second rows James Hudson and Rob Fidler and tighthead prop Duncan Bell are all included.

The Six Nations Championship and injuries have forced the hand of head coach John Connolly, who makes five changes, two positional, from the side that defeated champions Wasps last Saturday.

Bath: Perry, Williams, Higgins, Crockett, Maddock, Malone, Walshe, Stevens, Mears, Bell, Hudson, Fidler, Beattie (capt), Lipman, Feaunati. Subs: Humphreys, Loader, Scaysbrook, Lewis, Wood, Abendanon, Cheeseman.

Gloucester's Welsh tight-head prop Gary Powell, will miss this weekend's clash with Harlequins, but is ready to bounce back after an injury-hit seven weeks.

The 25 year-old front row man injured his ankle following his last outing for the club in the Powergen Cup win over Leicester at Welford Road in December.