Sam Burgess will try to make the England squad as a centre

England head coach Stuart Lancaster says Sam Burgess is in the running for a place in the World Cup squad but as a centre rather than a back-row forward.

Formerly a rugby league star, Burgess switched codes in October when he joined Bath but there was some debate about which position would suit him best.

And the 26-year-old ended up playing his best rugby at flanker, making six starts on the blind side at the end of the season, culminating in the Aviva Premiership final.

However, Lancaster says that England’s line-out needs and the loss of Manu Tuilagi from the midfield mix for disciplinary reasons, mean that he is considering Burgess as a centre.

Lancaster explained: “We're into the rugby stuff now and I had a long conversation with Sam about his position. For two reasons we see him as a centre.

"In the back row we need our sixes to be effective in the line-out and there are some big players in our line-out calling structure.

"Tom Wood, for example, is the third most thrown to forward when he's played, and James Haskell we've also used quite a lot. Tom Croft is nearing fitness now as well.

"We've lost (hooker) Dylan Hartley and with him some experience when the line-out is a big part for us. It would be a real stretch for Sam to be competitive in that position.

"Also, Bath have used him as a forward but his effectiveness has been in the middle of the defensive line and as someone who takes the ball to the line as a carrying threat.

"We're confident from what we've seen that he'd be capable of competing at centre. Without Manu in the backline, we need options that give us physicality.

"Centre is where he's been running with us and that's where we'll see him training right until the final 31 are selected.

"But it's a competitive position, when you see the options we have."