England will put every ounce of energy they have into getting their Six Nations off to a winning start against Wales today (5.0).

That is the promise of flanker Lewis Moody, one of two Leicester Tigers players in the starting XV after Toby Flood's promotion from the bench as a replacement for Riki Flutey, who withdrew yesterday after injuring a thigh in training.

Moody was England's stand-out performer during a disappointing autumn.

But with the likes of Delon Armitage, Nick Easter and Flutey – before his latest blow – back from injury, Moody says England have confidence in their game and will fly out of the blocks at Twickenham.

"The first game of any Six Nations campaign is really important for every team and to build confidence you need that first win under your belt," said the 31-year-old.

"Wales have a great bunch of players and it's important we go out and get what we really need.

"We've got to get all the planning and everything in place, but it's going to be a hell of a game.

"Each player will leave no little bit of energy or emotion on that field. You have to give it everything.

"It's crucial to have that intensity and to have that sheer hunger to just go at the opposition. It's very important.

"We are in a good situation now with a lot of those injured guys back, and that makes a huge difference to the continuity.

"They are the guys who have been through the internationals before but have also been through the process under Brian Smith and John Wells and know how the game's going to run.

"That's great for us as a team because we have also had a good training week in Portugal leading up to this game.

"Time together makes a world of difference. It's all about getting to know each other and learning how to play together.

"It makes a big difference having that extra week."

England suffered in the autumn against high-quality opposition who ruthlessly exposed their lack of experience and confidence.

An 18-9 defeat by Australia was followed by a 16-9 win over Argentina before the All Blacks inflicted a 19-6 reverse.

The first half of the game with the Kiwis was England's best period and Moody says England will be trying to replicate that intensity today.

"It should be a given that we have that passion and that hunger every time," said Moody.

"That is now what we expect from each other. The way we started against New Zealand is what we want every time.

"We are always confident going into a game, it's never blind faith.

"You always have a belief in your own ability and the team's ability, no matter whether you've been together a day or 10 years.

"When we look back on the autumn we conceded three tries against two of the best attacking teams in world rugby who blew sides away after they played us.

"It's good to look at our defence and say we went well. But the attacking area of our game wasn't up to standard. We know we weren't up to scratch in the autumn and we know we have to improve."

Team manager Martin Johnson and his coaching staff will be under pressure if England lose today.

But a win, followed by victory in Italy, will put England in good shape to mount a real Six Nations challenge.

Moody says the Twickenham crowd can help create a 16th man as they attempt to get off to a winning start.

"The support of the Twickenham faithful is always huge to the team," he said.

"The more noise they make, and the more they get behind us, you can feel it on the pitch.

"Things don't always go as planned, as the autumn showed, but no England team will ever die on its feet. We'll always go out and give it 120 per cent until the end.

"The more the passion and excitement comes across from the crowd the more we can feel it."

England: Armitage; Cueto, Tait, Flood, Monye; Wilkinson, Care; Payne, Hartley, Wilson, Shaw, Borthwick (capt), Haskell, Moody, Easter. Reps: Thompson, Cole, L Deacon, Armitage, Hodgson, Hape, Foden.

Wales: Byrne; T James, Hook, Roberts, S Williams; S Jones, Cooper; P James, G Williams, A Jones, A-W Jones, Charteris, Powell, M Williams, R Jones (capt). Reps: Bennett, Gill, Davies, Thomas, Rees, A Bishop, Halfpenny.

Leicester Tigers prop Martin Castrogiovanni is in Italy's starting line-up for their match against Grand Slam champions Ireland at Croke Park today.