Tuesday 5 January 2016 10:18, UK
Will Greenwood picks five players Eddie Jones must include in his first England squad ahead of the Six Nations Championship.
Saracens' George Kruis and Mario Itoje look certainties to be named, but who else does the World Cup winner believe should be in the squad?
Here are Greenwood's picks...
Jamie George (Saracens)
He was in the World Cup squad and got a little bit of game time against Uruguay. At club level he returned a man of the match award against Toulouse having only played 40 minutes.
He came on at half-time against Leicester Tigers at the weekend and Saracens steamrolled a pack that included Dan Cole. He scores tries and has top arrows as well.
Elliot Daly (Wasps)
An absolute must. We saw Jonathon Joseph's influence England's early play in 2015. They went away from that in the World Cup, picking Sam Burgess and Brad Barritt in a midfield with Owen Farrell at 10.
I don't mind Farrell playing at 10 but someone has to be your out-shot. Someone has to be your floater who can give you the outside channel and the scope to spread the defence. He can also can kick 50-metre penalties from virtually any angle within that range.
Billy Vunipola (Saracens)
The number one No 8 by an absolute street. He's a man mountain, an absolute gargantuan beast, carving it up. Who is his number two? Josh Beaumont has to be. He has good hands, is a try-scorer, has awareness and very rarely plays in a losing side. He has that ability.
He enjoyed a top performance again at the weekend against Wasps. And my favourite moment last year was when Jack Nowell - a man who will be in the England squad - showed him the outside in Sandy Park and Josh Beaumont took it.
Danny Cipriani (Sale)
He's starting to really control games and I'm loving his combinations with Sam Tuitupou. He gives him the short angles. I think Eddie Jones will go with three fly-halfs. Most English Premiership squads tend to have three fly-halfs and I think your third slot is Cipriani with Farrell the out-and-out first choice.
George Ford is struggling at the moment because Bath aren't playing well.
Chris Ashton (Saracens)
Don't worry about what he can't do, defence coach Paul Gustard will sort that out. Worry about what he can do. Enjoy what he can do. He's our best poacher. Our best visionary as a winger.
Yes he makes errors. Yes he can frustrate you but he is 'a right place, right time' sort of guy.
This position is up for grabs in the final few weeks of European fixtures.
Anthony Watson is rotating a little at the moment. Matt Banahan and Semesa Rokoduguni have been starting for Bath and Watson's been coming off the bench. As for Jack Nowell, I don't care what wing he plays. He can play 13 and full-back too. It doesn't matter what shirt number is on his back he'll go and play.
Wildcards
Sale winger Will Addison and teammate and full-back Mike Haley are two names to really watch. But with Henry Slade injured, the 12 slot is up for grabs.
I'm a big fan of Ollie Devoto. He gave away a daft penalty at the weekend but he's about as close as I can get to a Slade. The problem is that Bath's form is depriving him of the platform he needs to show his cards.
Exeter's Will Chudley is in the scrum-half mix and the other one that everyone will be talking about, in the absence of the injured Kieran Brookes, is Paul Hill, the Northampton tight-head.
I think he can apply pressure to Cole and David Wilson. I'm backing Luke Wallace to be the out-and-out No 7. While Tommy Taylor, the hooker at Sale, could be one to watch along with Dave Ward of Harlequins who occupies the same position.
