Jones searching for his perfect trifecta

Eddie Jones may be only six months into his tenure as England head coach, but he has already made very solid progress.

England are unbeaten under his guidance, having secured a Six Nations Grand Slam for the first time in 13 years and they comfortably saw off Wales at Twickenham last month, despite missing a host of first-choice players due to their presences being required in the Aviva Premiership final.

Upon taking the job back in November, Jones stressed his goal of finding three test-calibre options in every position ahead of the 2019 Rugby World Cup, not only to give England the depth to survive injuries, but also to provide competition.

So, despite just being six games into his England career, how goes Jones’ search for his positional trios?

We have rated each position on how close Jones and England are to finding those three test-calibre options. Remember, ratings are not necessarily an indicator of how good the players at the position are, but a rating of how close they come to being three test-calibre players now or in the very near future.

Loosehead Prop – 9/10

England’s one-two punch of Joe Marler and Mako Vunipola is well-established and both have proven their worth on repeated occasions. Matt Mullan has impressed in his 10 caps to date, but doesn’t quite have the international experience to speak definitively of his test-calibre. The fast-tracking of Ellis Genge is also noteworthy and it shouldn’t be long before England are at 10/10 at loosehead.

Hooker – 7/10

Captain Dylan Hartley has proven his worth under Jones and his two deputies, Luke Cowan-Dickie and Jamie George, both offer real potential. How the pair do when they are exposed to more international rugby will be telling, but based on what we have seen from them at Premiership and European level, there is little reason to doubt their ability to step up.

Tighthead Prop – 7/10

England have no shortage of options at tighthead and with Dan Cole returning to his pre-injury form, it’s quickly become a strength of English rugby once more. Paul Hill is his deputy and continues his meteoric rise from standout U20 tighthead to bona fide international prop. Kyle Sinckler’s inclusion in the squad to tour Australia over Kieran Brookes surprised many, but illustrates the depth England have. A lack of international experience for Hill, Sinckler and Brookes is all that costs England a higher rating here.

Lock – 10/10

This is an easy 10 to hand out. In Maro Itoje and George Kruis, England have a pairing as good as any in test rugby and they are backed up by Joe Launchbury and Courtney Lawes, another combination that could go toe-to-toe with the world’s best at the position. That leaves just two more test-calibre locks to find from a pool of Dave Attwood, Charlie Ewels, Ed Slater, Dom Barrow and the Australian-born Mitch Lees. Attwood has proven his credentials at test level and Ewels is a Junior World Championship-winning captain, with the rugby world at his feet.

Flanker – 5/10

For all the talk of ‘genuine opensides’, there is still a very versatile feeling to Jones’ selections at flanker and though there is no issue with this, it does make it hard to grade blindside and openside individually. James Haskell and Chris Robshaw are proven international performers but things are a little murkier behind them. Teimana Harrison and Matt Kvesic are good options, with the former being given a great opportunity to further his cause in Australia this summer. The likes of Dave Ewers, Don Armand, Sam Underhill and Sam Jones are hovering, albeit none of the trio have international experience yet. The talent is there for England on the flanks but they are still a way away from having six test-calibre options.

Number Eight – 9/10

Billy Vunipola is right on the cusp of being considered world class, Jack Clifford showed against Wales he belongs in the test rugby arena and Nathan Hughes is a month away from qualifying for England on residency. Common sense suggests Hughes should take to test rugby like a duck to water but it is a variable that sometimes can cause even the greatest players to come unstuck and that’s the only thing denying England a 10 here. Josh Beaumont is another intriguing option who would almost certainly have been involved with the Saxons this summer if it were not for injury.

Scrum-half – 7/10

England have Ben Youngs and Danny Care, boasting 60 and 59 test caps respectively, who provide contrasting styles and tactical versatility, at the position. England’s third-choice scrum-half is less clear, however. Dan Robson and Mickey Young are with the Saxons this summer, whilst Joe Simpson tries his hand at making the Great Britain 7s squad for the Rio Olympics. As with their flankers, England have the talent available to find a third test-calibre player but they are still searching right now.

Fly-half – 7/10

It’s hard to accurately judge the trio of Owen Farrell, George Ford and Danny Cipriani. Some will say you have three test-calibre fly-halves there already and this rating should be a 10, whilst others will say only Farrell meets the criteria and the rating should be a four or five. Ford is test-calibre but stuck in a rut of form that is exposing the weaknesses of his game and not allowing his strengths to shine. A summer in South Africa with the Saxons should tell us more about Cipriani’s ability at test level.

Inside Centre – 5/10

If you consider Farrell a fly-half, then England’s inside centre options still have a lot to prove. Manu Tuilagi needs to prove he can stay fit, Henry Slade is still searching for top gear after breaking his leg and Ben Te’o is yet to play a game of international rugby union. If all three click, England could have one of the best trios of inside centres in international rugby but, as of right now, there are questions over all three. Luther Burrell does provide a very solid option if Jones sees Slade or Te’o as an outside centre.

Outside Centre – 8/10

Jonathan Joseph made the position his own last season and has been able to maintain his high level of performance despite being part of a Bath team that has really struggled this season. Elliot Daly has become his deputy and offers frightening potential, despite being largely untested in international rugby. England’s third option would come in the form of Burrell, or one of Slade or Te’o. This rating hinges on the belief that Daly will be able to replicate his remarkable skill set at test level.

Wing – 6/10

Anthony Watson and Jack Nowell have proven their test credentials, as has Marland Yarde, despite his club form not being at its best of late. If we presume that the three Saxons wingers – Christian Wade, Semesa Rokoduguni and Alex Lewington – are the next cabs off the rank for Jones, then there is definitely a lack of experience among the six wings. As with many areas of the squad, the talent is there and in a year or two’s time, this rating could be a nine or a 10. It remains to be seen how Chris Ashton’s decision to turn down the Saxons tour impacts his international future.

Full-back – 9/10

In Mike Brown and Alex Goode, England have two fantastic options to pick from. The third-choice, as suggested by the Saxons squad, may be Sale’s Mike Haley. Haley has been one of the most consistent performers in the Premiership over the last two seasons, despite being just 21 years of age, and if he can impress in South Africa, this could soon be bumped up to a 10. Watson also covers full-back for England, playing there for Bath.