While England’s focus will be firmly on events at Twickenham this afternoon, they will take more than a passing interest in Simon Shaw’s first start of the season for London Wasps on Sunday.

Shaw, who made his first appearance off the bench last weekend since the Lions tour to South Africa, is eager to win back his place in England’s second row so the LV Cup game with London Irish at the Madejski Stadium is full of significance for him.

Wasps, so disappointed to lose their Guinness Premiership game with Leeds Carnegie at home, also field Joe Worsley in a team that are something of a mix and match, inevitably for this tournament, which has so many development implications. Worsley, too, has aspirations to a place in England’s back row and Warren Fury, at scrum half, is eager to remind Wales of his qualities.

“For those players named, this fixture is hugely important and means just as much as any league or European outing,” Tony Hanks, the Wasps director of rugby, said.

George Skivington leads Wasps in the absence of Serge Betsen, who is rested, Tom Rees and Phil Vickery, who are undergoing rehabilitation. Vickery had a successful operation on his neck this week and faces three months of work before he can play, making his participation in the RBS Six Nations Championship unlikely.

Harlequins, eager to build momentum, have changed only their front row for tomorrow’s match with the Scarlets at the Twickenham Stoop. The Welsh region will want to compensate for the home defeat suffered by the Ospreys on Thursday against Northampton, a game that has left the Ospreys with 29 players unavailable through international calls and injuries; hence their interest in James Goode, the former Cardiff Blues lock who has returned after three years in New Zealand and is being given a trial at the Liberty Stadium.

Cardiff Blues, holders of the EDF Energy Cup that preceded this version of the Anglo-Welsh tournament, open tomorrow against Gloucester, last season’s beaten finalists. Given the history between them, both sides field competitive XVs, with Nicky Robinson, who steered Cardiff so successfully to the trophy, now playing for Gloucester at fly half.

Mike Ford, the England defence coach, can afford to turn his interest closer to home tomorrow. His sons, George and Joe, play opposite each other in the LV Cup, George at fly half in a young Leicester side against Leeds Carnegie at Headingley with Joe wearing the No 10 jersey. To add zest to the occasion, Leeds have Alex Moreno, the former Leicester prop, in their front row, which will add experience to an otherwise fresh-faced encounter.

Kevin Sorrell, the centre who joined Saracens in 1994, makes his 300th appearance for the club against Bath at the Recreation Ground, although Bath also have disciplinary issues on their mind. Danny Grewcock, the former England prop, has been cited for striking Neil de Kock during last weekend’s Premiership game with Saracens and Grewcock appears before a RFU disciplinary panel on Monday.