Mike Brown has become the latest Harlequins player to cap a superb Guinness Premiership season with an England call-up.

The young full-back booked his place in Brian Ashton's squad for the tour to South Africa with a series of eye-catching performances for his club, and was yesterday handed a start at number 15 for Saturday's first test against the Springboks.

Quins' 21-year-old player of the year started the campaign as a fixture in the national U21 set-up, but his sensational form first saw him elevated into England Saxons reckoning, and then the senior squad.

It mirrors the fairytale rise of Quins team-mates David Strettle and Nick Easter, who are now almost certain to figure in Ashton's 30-man World Cup squad come autumn.

Brown, who began the campaign focused only on cementing his place in the Quins starting XV, was delighted to get the call.

"At the start of the season all I was thinking about was getting a regular start for Quins and then maybe the Saxons, so to get my England debut is fantastic," he said.

"I have played for the U21s and enjoyed it, as I did my time with the Saxons earlier this year.

"That has been a great stepping stone for me as it took me into the senior international arena.

"I got a lot from the games against Italy and Ireland, and it has proved a good pathway to the senior England team."

Strettle and Easter join Brown in the starting line-up for Saturday, while scrum-half Andy Gomarsall is among the replacements.

Meanwhile, lock Jim Evans is not holding his breath over a starting slot for Monday's Churchill Cup clash with Scotland A at Twickenham.

The 26-year-old celebrated his England Saxons debut with a try in Friday's 51-3 romp past the USA at Sale's Edgeley Park ground.

Quins openside Will Skinner did his chances of a regular starting slot no harm by having a large hand in the first of the Saxons' nine tries.

Evans crossed six minutes into the second half and formed part of a dominant front five, but he said still did not feel assured of his place in the team to face the Scots.

"The US were as physical as we expected - they kept coming at us and never let up," he said.

"We have got a few days at home to recover before the squad for the next game is announced, so it's a few days of resting and hoping to be involved in the next one."