Six Nations: Stuart Lancaster’s problems for Paris

The England coach has some terribly tough calls to make ahead of a fiendishly hard Six Nations opener in France three weeks today. We consider his options

Bath's Anthony Watson (David Rogers/Getty Images)

A quarter of the squad missing through injury, five uncapped fill-ins and an entire platoon of international rookies, a mini-crisis at tight-head prop, continuing debates over the optimum shape of an under-performing back division who score tries about as often as Halley’s Comet appears in the night sky… thank God it’s only the French up next.

Except there is no “only” about it, because Les Bleus, lavishly equipped with a full hand of brilliant attacking centres, will be better prepared for Six Nations business than ever before and are determined to cleanse themselves of the shame of last year’s “wooden spoon” campaign.

So how does Stuart Lancaster, the England head coach, play his hand ahead of the trip to Paris three weeks today? How does he balance the twin imperatives that have marked his stewardship of the national team for the last two years: the need for victory in the here and now against the search for victory of a much greater magnitude at the home World Cup in 20 months’ time?

Back three

The complications start here. Mike Brown of Harlequins was England’s star turn of the autumn series in November, but finds himself in the peculiar position of doing all his best attacking work in defence. Lancaster may well have missed a trick by not recalling Mathew Tait of Leicester, who surely ticks more boxes, for the forthcoming tournament: he would have brought the footballing intelligence we have come to associate with the excellent Alex Goode, with added straight-line speed. Hey-ho… at least Brown will play his heart out.

The absence of Marland Yarde and Christian Wade may save Chris Ashton’s bacon once again, but the red-rose hierarchy remain unconvinced that Ashton has the strength of character and depth of application required. If Lancaster goes bold and ditches him – the decision will be made on the basis of training-camp performance, beginning next weekend – the favourites for the wing positions will be Jonny May of Gloucester, who has the grand total of one cap, and Anthony Watson of Bath, who has one fewer. There would be no shortage of pace, that’s for sure, but the risk is obvious. Only May has spent serious time on the left wing, which, contrary to popular belief, is a specialist position. Unless Lancaster reluctantly shifts Brown to No 11 and recalls Goode, the Wiltshireman has every chance of a start.

Midfield

Lancaster is speaking a good deal about developing a “two-sided attack”, which has been a striking feature of the All Blacks’ game in recent seasons. If it’s good enough for them, etc… To make this happen, a genuine ball-playing centre is essential – and to all intents and purposes, that means Billy Twelvetrees of Gloucester playing outside Owen Farrell, who is nailed on at stand-off. The campaign to install the uncapped Luther Burrell of Northampton at No 12 is deeply flawed: how many more times must England go down the crash-bang-wallop road in this position before people see it for the cul-de-sac it is? “Ah,” you say: “what about Ma’a Nonu of New Zealand? He crashes and wallops better than anyone.” True. But he also passes and kicks and creates. That’s why the All Blacks pick him.

Gloucester's Jonny May is vying for a wing role (Getty) (David Rogers/Getty Images)

Burrell has a role to play… at outside-centre, as the nearest thing to a like-for-like replacement for the injured Manu Tuilagi. Traditionally, the New Zealanders run their big midfield beast at No 13: Bill Osborne, Joe Stanley, Frank Bunce, Tana Umaga. Conrad Smith, the incumbent, is neither big nor a beast, but as he is game-changingly brilliant in pretty much everything he does, it hardly matters.

England do not have a Smith at their disposal, so they must choose between Burrell’s power game and the defensive security of Saracens’ Brad Barritt. By the end of the tournament the newcomer should be given a go. Against Wesley Fofana, Gaël Fickou and company? Barritt is probably the wise call.

Scrum-half

There are four No 9s in the Six Nations squad: Richard Wigglesworth of Saracens, the form half-back in the country; Danny Care of Harlequins, the sharpest runner round the edges; Ben Youngs of Leicester, who probably has the best all-round game… and Lee Dickson of Northampton, who might be said to be the opposite of the yeti – rarely talked about, often seen.

Dickson was restored to the starting line-up for the autumn Tests and worked his socks off, as always. If ever a man made the grade through sheer force of will, he was to be found at the heels of the England pack before Christmas.

Lee Dickson is the man in possession at No 9 (Getty) (David Rogers/Getty Images)

Lancaster admires Dickson’s energy and it would be out of character for the coach to drop him for no good reason, especially as Youngs remains some way short of his best, to the extent that Leicester frequently look most like themselves when the Frenchman David Mélé is on the field. But the position is ferociously competitive and much will depend on how the rival candidates train in the fortnight leading into Paris.

Front row

Who are those men on their knees in the front pew of the local church, hands clasped together in supplication? That’ll be the England coaching team, praying that nothing untoward happens to the Leicester tight-head prop Dan Cole over the next two rounds of Heineken Cup argy-bargy. The calf injury which is currently incapacitating the Bath scrummager David Wilson has left England in serious strife: if Henry Thomas of Sale, who is one solitary cap into his Test career from the summer tour and currently struggling for game time at his club, is the next cab off the rank, he has precious few miles on the clock.

At least Lancaster has positive choices to make in the other front-row positions. Dylan Hartley of Northampton, the most experienced of the England forwards, is a yard ahead of Tom Youngs, although the Leicester man played a blinder in the outstanding Premiership contest with Bath six days ago.

As for the decision at loose head between Mako Vunipola of Saracens and Joe Marler of Harlequins… well, it’s one of those. Vunipola has game-breaking skills that Marler will never possess, but those skills make him a perfect impact option off the bench. Marler’s willingness to fight fire with fire might well come in handy against France and he is playing with considerable assurance. You pays your money…

Joe Marler will fight fire with fire (Getty) (Mike Hewitt/Getty Images)

Second row

At last! A no-brainer. Joe Launchbury of Wasps, the man around whom Lancaster is building his pack, and Courtney Lawes of Northampton, the man whom no one wants to see in front of them as they carry the ball upfield, are undisputed joint kings of this particular castle.

England are really strong here: Dave Attwood is regarded by the coaches as less mobile and shorter-lasting than Lawes, but they would not lose a moment’s sleep if they had to start with the Bath man.

Back row

Again, there is barely a debate to be had. Chris Robshaw’s captaincy remains a precious asset – the resilient Harlequins flanker is the physical embodiment of Lancaster’s ideas on team culture – while the cold-eyed, fire-breathing Tom Wood of Northampton is equally important in setting the tone. Between them, they give the pack its backbone.

Half a season spent being duffed up in a beaten Gloucester pack has done Ben Morgan no favours, so Billy Vunipola, who was a striking success against the All Blacks last time out, is sure to start at No 8. If only every decision was this easy.