Eddie Jones right to keep England stars guessing, says Haskell

James Haskell sees no problem with England coach Eddie Jones making a "common-sense statement" by warning his Grand Slam winners that none of them is guaranteed to tour Australia this summer.

Jones recently said that a number of players who helped England clinch a first Six Nations clean sweep since 2003 have struggled to reproduce their best form since returning to club duty.

Haskell hopes none of his Wasps team-mates are on Jones' mind but concedes that the comments have kept everybody on their toes.

Wasps play Saracens in Saturday's European Champions Cup semi-final and for now, that is Haskell's primary concern as he comes up against England team-mates including Billy Vunipola, Owen Farrell and Alex Goode.

"I think it was a common-sense statement from Eddie, it's something from a coach striving to get the best out of his players," Haskell said.

"It is definitely difficult to have an emotional high of a Six Nations and come back and consistently perform. And you're only as good as your last game.

"I said it myself as the name was being engraved on the Six Nations trophy, you can be written off straight away.

"It's the same for every player, so I think Eddie's just making sure no one's under any illusions that you have to be at your best, have to look to play your best.

"He's not spoken to the squad about that, he just understands that in the club environment you have to be the best you possibly can be, you have to keep playing and keep improving."

England play three Tests in Australia in June and although they negotiated their way through the Six Nations without being defeated, Haskell believes they need to raise their game when they take on the World Cup finalists.

"It's important to understand that while we're making progress, yes the Six Nations was good, but were we good enough to compete with southern hemisphere sides? Arguably not at times," said Haskell.

"Do we want to keep improving? Yes.

"Did Eddie make it clear the entire time the work would not stop, was not finished, we'd only just started and that things were going to get harder and tougher? Then yeah.

"If some players needed that rev-up that was good, but I think it was pretty obvious.

"I thought that in camp. Every time we played a game I was expecting and looking over my shoulder, and I think any good player does that - no one takes it for granted.

"If anyone ever asks me what I'm doing at the end of the season I tell them I'm worrying about this weekend.

"Because that's the way.

"I've got no plans, I haven't booked any tickets to Australia, I've got to keep fighting my way into this side.

"Thomas Young has been outstanding for us, George Smith's obviously the legend that he is and Nathan Hughes and Sam Jones, all the boys that are chomping at my heels. So it's about making sure that I perform."