VERSAILLES, (Reuters) - England flyhalf Jonny Wilkinson will team up with his understudy Olly Barkley for the first time on Saturday in a partnership he believes will be a success even though they have had no game time together.

Wilkinson starts for the first time in the tournament with Barkley at inside centre for the World Cup Pool A match against Samoa in Nantes.

Coach Brian Ashton named a completely revamped backline on Tuesday after the world champions' feeble performance in the 36-0 loss to South Africa last Friday. "You have two guys who I think are very much on the same wavelength," Wilkinson told a new conference after being named for his first World Cup appearance since he drop-kicked the winning goal in the 2003 final. "We are two guys who are used to talking, running the game, bossing people around and it's great to be playing with him."

Barkley played well in an otherwise flat opening England win over the United States but damaged a hip flexor in training.

His enforced absence meant England went into the Springbok game minus a recognised flyhalf, with painfully predictable results.

"In terms of seeing something different I guess that's for me and Olly to show on the field, but having two guys who play the game in their head very similarly, that's a great thing, a definite understanding of when to run, when to kick and when to pass," Wilkinson said.

"It's about getting as quickly as you can into a position where your natural instincts take over and move people or the ball into that space."