Clive Woodward and Will Greenwood select their England squad

It's crunch time for Stuart Lancaster and his coaching staff – time to pick their 31-man England squad for the World Cup.

England have had two warm-up matches against France – a 19-14 victory at Twickenham last week and a 25-20 defeat in Paris on Saturday night.

And Lancaster now has until August 31 to name his final squad. After that, there is one more warm-up game against Ireland on September 5, before their opening pool match against Fiji on September 18.

In 2003, Sir Clive Woodward became the first – and so far only – Englishman to pick a World Cup squad and go on to win it. He got together with Will Greenwood, his midfield general back in 2003, and they selected their squad to compete in 2015…

PROPS

In: Joe Marler, Mako Vunipola, Dan Cole, David Wilson, Kieran Brookes

Out: Alex Corbisiero

Will Greenwood: The biggest casualty is Alex Corbisiero. He hasn't been fit, hasn't had the game time. He came off the bench last week. In 2013 you wanted to wrap him in cotton wool, the world's best loosehead – huge on the Lions tour of 2013. They wanted him here, injury has deprived them of that – but that's two heckishly good looseheads in Marler and Vuniopola.

HOOKERS

In: Tom Youngs, Rob Webber, Jamie George

Out: Luke Cowan-Dickie

Sir Clive Woodward: These are all new guys, especially Webber and George. I think George just gets the nod over Luke Cowan-Dickie, which is very, very tough. He looked OK [against France in Paris] under pressure. Tom Youngs needs to be wrapped in cotton wool. He needs to understand he is the man now. He's the man who is going to lead this pack at line-out time.

SECOND ROW

In: Courtney Lawes, Joe Launchbury, Geoff Parling, George Kruis

Out: Dave Attwood

WG: This is really tough. If they go with Dave Attwood you've got no complaints. I just thought with Kruis, they want to play these decoys, they want these second rows almost at first or second receivers running these decoy lines… Kruis does that better. He was crucial for the Jonny May try last week where he went to the line, pulled it back – he's more comfortable with ball in hand. At Twickenham you want to up the pace and Kruis just fits that ball-playing ability better.

BACK ROW

In: Chris Robshaw, James Haskell, Tom Wood, Billy Vunipola, Ben Morgan

Out: Calum Clark, Nick Easter

SCW: If Ben Morgan is fit, he gets the nod. I just hope there is enough pace in those players to worry the teams they are going to come up against. When you look at Australia and Wales, who they have got in their back row... they are all playing two No 7s – Justin Tipuric and Sam Warburton, the Aussies have David Pocock and Michael Hooper.

HALF-BACKS

In: Ben Youngs, Richard Wigglesworth, Dan Care, Owen Farrell, George Ford

Out: Danny Cipriani

WG: Care could push Wigglesworth for the bench spot. Wigglesworth tends to be the No 2 in the Six Nations but Care might have fought his way into the matchday 23.

SCW: I think Farrell will push Ford now to start. He's just that little bit more experienced. He did really well in that Saracens v Bath game last season. For me Danny Cipriani should be there, but he won't be there. They haven't given him a chance.

CENTRES

In: Luther Burrell, Brad Barritt, Jonathan Joseph, Henry Slade

Out: Sam Burgess, Billy Twelvetrees

WG: So – the balance. Slade is as close as you can get to Joseph. They love the width that Joseph gives to the side. Barritt definitely at 12 and I'd take Joseph and Slade as my 13s. Burrell or Burgess fascinates me. I think Burrell had some big runs today and really contributed to dragging the side back into it. It was just his ability to make some big tackles. He carried really well. Burrell goes in, for me, as the fourth-choice centre.

So – can you go with Burgess as the fourth-choice centre, someone who brings this personality, this winning mentality, this self-belief… and this massive smash!? If Burgess goes into the squad in front of Burrell, I can understand why. But I go for experience in a Test match. Playing 12 in a Test match ain't easy… Burrell gets that nod.

SCW: I think Burgess is going to be a big star for England. I just think it's 12 months early. There's no doubt he's an amazing player, I just wouldn't want to be taking that risk in these pool games. I want people I can absolutely trust and know what they are doing.

WG: But do you think they will pick him? I know we wouldn't, but do you think they will?

SCW: I think they will. I think Burgess will go.

WINGS/FULL-BACKS

In: Jack Nowell, Jonny May, Anthony Watson, Mike Brown, Alex Goode

Out: Cipriani

WG: Alex Goode was almost man-of-the-match last week. I thought Nowell had a smashing second-half [in Paris] and I think he could have pushed his way into the starting line-up.