Flanker Michael Lipman and full-back Nick Abendanon replace Lewis Moody and Tom Varndell in the squad.
That meant a recall for Ryan Davis and Higgins, along with full-back Nick Abendanon, recently recovered from injury.
And full-back Nick Macleod, who took over kicking duties after moving to fly-half following Hodgson's half-time withdrawal, equalled a club record.
There are a host of players unavailable because of injury, including fly-half Jonny Wilkinson, wing James Simpson-Daniel, flanker Lewis Moody, wing David Strettle and full-back Nick Abendanon.
Also looking to catch the eye of England coach Martin Johnson will be Leicester Tigers trio Tom Varndell, Harry Ellis and Jordan Crane, along with Bath's versatile back Nick Abendanon.
Nick Barmby finds himself back in the England squad after almost four years in the wilderness of international football.
Ultimately it is his judgement which was on trial today and his judgement which his deputy Nick Clegg refused to back.
Hugo Southwell is the full-back, with Nick De Luca and Graeme Morrison forming the centre partnership.
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There was better news on striker Nick Chadwick who could be back sooner than expected from injury.
Anyone who beats the game without losing a life, for example, sees Nick walk off a train back in the Midwest after leaving New York.
But the hosts hit back immediately as Nick Robinson's inside pass tricked the Bath line to send brother Jamie through a hole, the centre treating supporting back-row Molitika with a perfect offload that saw the Tongan lope under the posts.
Nick Dougherty (64) is back in fourth, just four shots off the lead.
Sone Aluko had a brief sight of goal after a one-two with former Motherwell player Nick Blackman but Stevie Hammell got back to snuff out the danger.
Italy coach Nick Mallett applauded his side's resilience after they fought back from a 20-6 half-time deficit to almost nick the game.
As well as Harlequins scrum-half Orr and Warrington full-back Richie Mathers, wingers Nick Youngquest (Crusaders) and Willie Isa (Melbourne Storm), Cas have also signed three forwards, St Helens duo Jake Emmitt and Nick Fozzard and Huddersfield's Martin Aspinwall.
But Sam Smith's try, which was improved by stand-off Nick Evans, brought 100 per cent Quins back to within a score.
The deputy prime minister, Nick Clegg, wants to put party funding back on the political agenda, which will remind voters of where Labour gets its cash.
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Deputy Prime Minister and Liberal Democrat leader Nick Clegg said he believed people would look back at the vote and see it as "a landmark for equality in Britain".
But quick tries from full-back Mike Brown and England number eight Nick Easter sent Quins in 17-7 at the break.
Sale forged into Leeds' half with a good run by Nick MacLeod and after a penalty was reversed for back-chat Hodgson nudged his side 12-7 ahead.
Conservative MP Nick Boles is also urging a significant further scaling back of tax credits and housing benefit, and a re-examination of the "lazy sentimentalism" of the Sure Start programme of children's centres.
But the Tigers hit back as Rangi Chase, Kirk Dixon and Nick Youngquest all grabbed touchdowns.
David Cameron, the Tory leader, and the Lib Dems' Nick Clegg followed suit, declaring that colleagues would pay back unjustified claims.
Back in 2009, Wall Street Journal columnist Nick Wingfield posted something of a rant about the difference between his work-issued laptop and the technology he enjoyed at home.
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Back to the point of my article, Nick Saban, quite unlike his predecessors, knew the brilliant brand that was and is Alabama football, and correctly saw that merged with his coaching genius he could quickly return the program to its rightful spot at the top.
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Saints got it back to 20-10 but a try from Nick Koupartisas closed the door.
Nick Dudman, who worked with Freeborn on The Empire Strikes Back, remembered him as "a Renaissance man capable of doing absolutely anything".
Everything changed in the weeks leading up to England's opening November international, against the Pacific Islanders at Twickenham, when full-backs Mathew Tait and Nick Abendanon both suffered injuries, and Josh Lewsey was sent back to his club Wasps.
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