World Cup veteran Mike Catt was recalled to the England squad for their two-Test tour of Australia next month.

Catt, a member of England's 2003 World Cup winning squad in Australia, won his last cap two years ago in a 51-15 defeat by the Wallabies.

The 34-year-old, a centre or flyhalf, has been instrumental in London Irish's run to the English Premiership playoffs and the European Challenge Cup final.

"The squad for Australia is a mix of experience and youth.

I've deliberately decided to rest some players to ensure they're in the best shape they could possibly be in ahead of the Rugby World Cup in 2007," head coach Andy Robinson said.

"I've selected some players who have a lot of international experience like Mike Catt, Ben Kay, Graham Rowntree and Joe Worsley to provide a good blend with the younger players," he was quoted as saying on the Rugby Football Union website.

Lock Kay is the only man in the squad who was in England's starting line-up for the 2003 World Cup final.

A number of players who were in the reckoning have been rested or were unavailable through injury, including back row forwards Martin Corry and Lawrence Dallaglio.

Flanker Pat Sanderson will captain the team in the absence of Corry, who led them in the Six Nations Championship earlier in the year.

England meet Australia in Sydney on June 11 and Melbourne on June 17. They play the Barbarians in a warm-up match at Twickenham on May 28.

Squad:

Backs - Stuart Abbott, Iain Balshaw, Olly Barkley, Scott Bemand, Mike Catt, Andy Goode, Jamie Noon, Peter Richards, James Simpson-Daniel, Mathew Tait, Mark van Gisbergen, Tom Varndell, Tom Voyce, Nick Walshe

Forwards - Duncan Bell, Alex Brown, George Chuter, Louis Deacon, Chris Jones, Ben Kay, Michael Lipman, Magnus Lund, Lee Mears, Lewis Moody, Tim Payne, Graham Rowntree, Pat Sanderson (captain), Andy Titterrell, Julian White, Joe Worsley.

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