England manager Martin Johnson says Tom Croft has "done nothing wrong" despite being dropped for the game with New Zealand.

Croft, the 24-year-old Leicester Tigers flanker, will be on the bench at Twickenham on Saturday, having made way for Wasps veteran Joe Worsley.

Croft's demotion comes despite a stunning summer with the British & Irish Lions in South Africa and being shortlisted for the International Board's Player of the Year award.

Fellow Tiger Louis Deacon has suffered the same fate while London Irish centre Shane Geraghty also makes way after the 16-9 win over Argentina.

Wasps lock Simon Shaw replaces Deacon while former Leicester player Ayoola Erinle takes Geraghty's place alongside Tigers centre Dan Hipkiss in midfield.

The changes mean Hipkiss and Lewis Moody are the only Tigers left in the team from the five who started the autumn internationals.

Johnson denied damage limitation had shaped his selection against the world's No.1-ranked side, with big-hitting Worsley preferred ahead of the more dynamic Croft. Erinle is also considered a more solid defender than Geraghty.

"Erinle and Worsley are great ball-carriers," said Johnson. "We know we will have to defend on Saturday and if you can bring those two players in it's a great opportunity.

"The guys have to be able to defend and attack. It's not that Shane or Tom have done anything wrong, it's a case of picking a team to win the game."

Erinle, now playing at Biarritz, is a surprise call-up but Tigers legend Johnson said he had proved at Leicester last season that he could compete in a high-pressure environment.

"Ayoola played alongside Dan Hipkiss for Leicester at the end of last season and they reached a European final," he said.

Born in Lagos, Nigeria, Erinle said starting for England was an opportunity he thought had passed him by.

Just 12 months ago, he was on loan at National League One side Nottingham after failing to break into the Tigers side.

"If I am brutally honest, my prospects of playing for England were a dream that had been and gone," he said.

"You try to hold onto it but as time goes on it starts to fade away. When I went to Biarritz I just thought 'At least I will be playing rugby and enjoying myself'.

"Before that, I was in a pretty dark place. I was questioning what the point was – but thank God I am in this position now.

"The Leicester coaches were apologetic about the fact I wasn't really given a chance, and I had to make a decision. The opportunity came up at Biarritz and I took it with both hands."

Erinle is relishing life in France. He said: "It is everything you envisage. The French lifestyle is interesting, very laid back but they are hugely passionate about rugby.

"They haven't changed me as a player, they have just made me more confident by playing me week in and week out."

England: M Cueto; M Banahan, D Hipkiss, A Erinle, U Monye; J Wilkinson, P Hodgson; T Payne, D Hartley, D Bell, S Shaw, S Borthwick (capt), J Worsley, L Moody, J Haskell. Reps: S Thompson, D Wilson, L Deacon, T Croft, D Care, S Geraghty, M Tait.