Leicester centre Dan Hipkiss has been called into the England squad for the tour of New Zealand following the injury to star fly-half Danny Cipriani.

Cipriani suffered a fracture dislocation of his right ankle in Wasps' Guinness Premiership play-off victory over Bath last weekend and is not expected to play again this year.

Hipkiss (pictured) has six caps and came on for England during the World Cup semi-final and final. The 25-year-old is clearly not a like-for-like replacement for Cipriani.

The England selectors, led by newly-appointed manager Martin Johnson, feel they have enough cover at number 10 and Hipkiss will increase their choices in midfield.

"Rob Andrew, the coaches and I discussed suitable candidates for the tour and we all agreed there was good cover at fly-half with Charlie Hodgson, Olly Barkley and Toby Flood and so we decided to go with Dan," Johnson explained.

"He gives us further options at centre and he has been playing well for Leicester Tigers in recent weeks and deserves his chance.

Charlie Hodgson will travel as the only specialist stand-off but both Olly Barkley and Toby Flood have plenty of experience in that role.

Many had expected Johnson to call up Gloucester's Ryan Lamb or even Hipkiss's Tigers team-mate Andy Goode, both of whom are out and out stand-offs.

"I obviously cannot help but feel for Danny and the injury he has suffered and my thoughts are with him," said Hipkiss.

"However, this gives me a chance to tour New Zealand and it will be a very tough and challenging environment. The Rugby World Cup last year will hold me in good stead and it"s an opportunity I"m looking forward to.

Hipkiss, the Tigers player of the year last season, is a hard, straight-running centre not unlike Mike Tindall and Jamie Noon, both of whom are already in the squad.

His ability to break the gainline and provide a target for his backrow by staying on his feet, played a crucial part in Leicester reaching three finals last season and winning two titles.

Although the Tiger have struggled with inconsistency this year, they have again reached the final of the Guinness Premiership against Wasps, and will hope to make amends for their loss to the Ospreys in the final of the EDF Energy Cup.

Hipkiss, who missed out on squad selection for the Six Nations, will compete with Tindall, Noon and Matthew Tait for the outside centre jersey for the Tests on June 14 in Auckland and a week later in Christchurch.

Revised England squad:

Backs - Mike Brown (Harlequins), Paul Sackey (Wasps), David Strettle (Harlequins), Topsy Ojo (London Irish), Matthew Tait (Newcastle), Mike Tindall (Gloucester), Jamie Noon (Newcastle), Toby Flood (Newcastle), Olly Barkley (Bath), Danny Hipkiss (Leicester), Charlie Hodgson (Sale Sharks), Richard Wigglesworth (Sale Sharks), Peter Richards (London Irish), Danny Care (Harlequins).

Forwards - Andrew Sheridan (Sale Sharks), Tom Payne (Wasps), Matt Stevens (Bath), Jason Hobson (Bristol), Lee Mears (Bath), Dylan Hartley (Northampton), David Paice (London Irish), Steve Borthwick (Bath, capt), Ben Kay (Leicester), Nick Kennedy (London Irish), Tom Palmer (Wasps), Tom Croft (Leicester), James Haskell (Wasps), Joe Worsley (Wasps), Michael Lipman (Bath), Tom Rees (Wasps), Nick Easter (Harlequins), Luke Narraway (Gloucester).

Terence O'Rorke / Eurosport