Six Nations: Dan Cole, James Haskell & Jonathan Joseph return

Wasps captain James Haskell comes in on the blind-side flank

Tight-head prop Dan Cole will make his first England appearance in almost a year in Friday's Six Nations opener against Wales.

Luther Burrell and Jonathan Joseph form a new-look centre partnership, with James Haskell coming in on the blind-side flank for the Cardiff match.

Danny Cipriani and Nick Easter are both on the bench.

Only nine members of the England team which beat Australia in the autumn are in the starting XV.

England's injury crisis means Burrell and Joseph are just the latest pairing to play in the centres, while five players - Anthony Watson, Joseph, George Ford, Dave Attwood and George Kruis - will be starting their first Six Nations match.

Head coach Stuart Lancaster revealed that the England squad trained in front of loud speakers on Wednesday, a move designed to mimic the raucous atmosphere at the Millennium Stadium.

Click here for the Wales team for Cardiff.

Lancaster said it was a tactic to replicate the "intensity" and "reverberation" for those players yet to experience a Six Nations game in Cardiff, adding that it helped underline "how clear your communication has to be".

Wales coach Warren Gatland has challenged England to agree to play with the stadium roof closed.

But Lancaster said he would make a decision after consulting the weather forecast on Wednesday night, adding: "It looks like it's set fair and - if it is - we'll probably want it open."

Cole, who is finally free of long-term injury problems, is one of four British and Irish Lions who have returned to the 23-man squad, along with Tom Youngs, Mako Vunipola and Tom Croft.

Lancaster said Cole has "trained fully all week" and that his experience "tipped the balance" in his favour for selection.

Jonathan Joseph is back in the England side for the first time since 2013

On the combination of Burrell and Joseph, Lancaster said: "Jonathan has been one of the form centres in the country.

"He and Luther have trained well together and this is a big opportunity for both of them."

England will be without a number of regular players for Friday's match at the Millennium Stadium, with Manu Tuilagi, Owen Farrell, David Wilson, Joe Launchbury, Courtney Lawes, Tom Wood and Ben Morgan all unavailable because of injury.

Morgan's broken leg has given Billy Vunipola a chance at number eight, while in the second row, where England have been hit hardest by injury, Bath's Attwood will partner Saracens lock Kruis, who has not played for three weeks after being banned for a dangerous tackle.

"We've had to make some tight calls but we are excited about the side selected for what will be big challenge," added Lancaster, whose team finished second in last year's championship.

"Billy Vunipola has been playing well for Saracens and it's good to be able to give George Kruis his first international start after his impressive run off the bench in November.

And Lancaster added that a calf problem for fly-half Stephen Myler made the decision to opt for Cipriani on the bench "an easy one".

"He's ready to take his chance," said Lancaster. "This isn't a new guy coming back into camp."

England team to face Wales:

Mike Brown (Harlequins); Anthony Watson (Bath Rugby), Jonathan Joseph (Bath Rugby), Luther Burrell (Northampton Saints), Jonny May (Gloucester Rugby); George Ford (Bath Rugby), Ben Youngs (Leicester Tigers); Joe Marler (Harlequins), Dylan Hartley (Northampton Saints), Dan Cole (Leicester Tigers), Dave Attwood (Bath Rugby), George Kruis (Saracens), James Haskell (Wasps), Chris Robshaw (Harlequins, capt), Billy Vunipola (Saracens)

Replacements: Tom Youngs (Leicester Tigers), Mako Vunipola (Saracens), Kieran Brookes (Newcastle Falcons), Nick Easter (Harlequins), Tom Croft (Leicester Tigers), Richard Wigglesworth (Saracens), Danny Cipriani (Sale Sharks), Billy Twelvetrees (Gloucester Rugby)

Sale fly-half Danny Cipriani is clearly enjoying being back in the England fold

Nick Easter, on the bench on Friday, last played for England at the 2011 World Cup

England have been training at their regular Pennyhill Park base before heading to Wales