If anyone had any doubts about Martin Johnson's suitability to take charge of English rugby, they were surely dispelled yesterday. In announcing his first elite player squad (EPS), Johnson did not put a foot wrong. He spoke eloquently about the need for England to look forward to a bright future and the importance of ensuring that there would never be a repeat of the lurid allegations that so sullied the recent tour to New Zealand.

Johnson has an aura and commands respect and his presence at Twickenham yesterday engendered a feel-good factor that has been absent for some time.

He was determined, he said, as England embarked on a new eight-year accord with the Guinness Premiership clubs, that players should be aware of their responsibilities. “I would be hugely disappointed [if it happened again],” Johnson, who officially took over as team manager yesterday, said of the tour debacle. “The allegations are serious against the England team. We can't have that for our players, our team, our sport.”

The 64 players named yesterday for the EPS and Saxons squads will be left in no doubt as to what is expected of them off the field. “If all players have not learnt a lesson from what's gone on, they'll never learn,” Johnson said. “Pressure is all around. Guys have to understand their responsibilities and how to handle being an international sportsman and rugby player.”

Thirteen players who toured New Zealand have failed to make the senior squad, instead having to be content with duty with the second-string Saxons. Ben Kay and Mike Tindall were the biggest surprises among the demotions. Nick Easter and Joe Worsley join them, as do Topsy Ojo and David Strettle, among others. Charlie Hodgson, whose defensive frailty was highlighted in defeat in the first international in Auckland, is overlooked completely, although Johnson said that the door was not closed on him or anyone else.

Jonny Wilkinson is the only specialist fly half, as Danny Cipriani is with the Saxons. Pending a successful recovery from ankle surgery, Cipriani will be one of up to five changes that Johnson can make in January before the RBS Six Nations Championship. Olly Barkley, who like Toby Flood and Shane Geraghty, can play at No10, will have an operation on a wrist injury on Friday and will take six to eight weeks to recover. Nick Kennedy and Tom Croft make the cut, a reflection of their specific impact on the lineout. Riki Flutey, who was born in New Zealand and who qualifies for England in September, will add creativity to the midfield.

Johnson insisted that the squad had been picked on merit and that the Auckland police inquiry and RFU investigation had not influenced the decisions. The two squads meet on August 10 for a five-day camp based at Twickenham, by which time a new player code of conduct will be in place

“It is something that is top of the agenda,” Johnson said. “Certain things will be non-negotiable, other things you want the players to agree with and come up with themselves. It is their team to a degree. The behaviour things, late nights and females in hotels are important but there are lots of other things on a day-to-day basis about how a team interacts. It is very important it becomes the culture of that side. Successful teams I played with all had a culture based around the characters that were there.”

Johnson expects to confirm Brian Smith as England's attack coach, once his release from London Irish has been negotiated, to join the existing coaching team of John Wells, Mike Ford and Jon Callard. “It is an exciting time for English rugby,” he said. “I have spoken to all the directors of rugby. The mood has become one of, ‘Let's get this thing going.' Everyone understands we need a strong Premiership and we need England rugby to be playing well. It gives everyone a feel-good factor. Both sides need each other. We want to make this work.”

Squads and schedule

England Elite

Forwards: S Borthwick (Saracens), G Chuter (Leicester), J Crane (Leicester), T Croft (Leicester), D Hartley (Northampton), J Haskell (London Wasps), N Kennedy (London Irish), L Mears (Bath), L Moody (Leicester), L Narraway (Gloucester), T Palmer (London Wasps), T Payne (London Wasps), T Rees (London Wasps), S Shaw (London Wasps), A Sheridan (Sale Sharks), M Stevens (Bath), P Vickery (London Wasps).

Backs: O Barkley (Gloucester), D Care (Harlequins), H Ellis (Leicester), T Flood (Leicester), R Flutey (London Wasps), S Geraghty (London Irish), D Hipkiss (Leicester), J Lewsey (London Wasps), J Noon (Newcastle Falcons), P Richards (London Irish), P Sackey (London Wasps), J Simpson-Daniel (Gloucester), M Tait (Sale Sharks), T Varndell (Leicester), J Wilkinson (Newcastle Falcons).

England Saxons

Forwards: S Armitage (London Irish), R Blaze (Leicester), L Deacon (Leicester), N Easter (Harlequins), J Forster (Gloucester), T Guest (Harlequins), J Hobson (Bristol), C Jones (Sale Sharks), B Kay (Leicester), M Lipman (Bath), D Paice (London Irish), G Skivington (London Wasps), A Titterrell (Gloucester), J Ward (London Wasps), D Wilson (Newcastle Falcons), N Wood (Gloucester), J Worsley (London Wasps).

Backs: N Abendanon (Bath), A Allen (Gloucester), M Banahan (Bath), M Brown (Harlequins), D Cipriani (London Wasps), B Foden (Northampton), A Goode (Leicester), P Hodgson (London Irish), R Lamb (Gloucester), U Monye (Harlequins), T Ojo (London Irish), D Strettle (Harlequins), M Tindall (Gloucester), D Waldouck (London Wasps), R Wigglesworth (Sale Sharks).

Key dates

Aug 10-15: First summer camp at Twickenham.

Oct 26: Squads assemble for four internationals at Twickenham.

Nov 8: England v Pacific Islanders.

Nov 15: England v Australia.

Nov 22: England v South Africa.

Nov 29: England v New Zealand.