Andy Robinson today names his first squad since taking over as England's head coach from Sir Clive Woodward last month and he is unlikely to shake things up in the manner of his predecessor seven years ago.
For any coach, naming a first squad involves a lot more by way of subliminal messages than simply picking whom they consider the best players available. Wholesale changes, naturally, will signal a radical departure from the previous philosophy, while keeping the same personnel could be construed as having no firm ideas.
How previous England coaches picked their first sides is revealing. Woodward was the third appointed in the 90s but, whereas Dick Best and Jack Rowell largely made do with what they inherited, Sir Clive, as became his trademark, indulged in the unexpected.
Andy Long, then Bath hooker, was plucked out of obscurity for his first cap against Australia at Twickenham, Woodward's first match in charge. He was taken off at half-time and his only subsequent appearance for England came as a replacement against the United States in 2001 on what was effectively a reserve squad tour.
"I have picked the best 15 players in England in their positions at this time," said Woodward after naming his first team. "There are no experiments and no cheap caps. I have always said that I would never select anyone just for the sake of finding out if he was good enough."
He later added, almost contradicting himself: "Andy Long and Matt Perry [who went on to become England's most capped full-back] might be young but they are international-class players who deserve their chance. If we do not pick them, we will never know what they can do."
Woodward took over from Rowell in September 1997. Within a week he had named a 41-man squad of elite and emerging players. Long and Perry were named in the latter group, while members of the former who did not figure against Australia included Matt Dawson, Simon Shaw and Ben Clarke.
Whereas Best and Rowell retained the captain they were left with, Will Carling in each case, Woodward replaced Phil de Glanville with Lawrence Dallaglio, who led out a side containing five new caps against the Wallabies: Long, Perry, the centre Will Greenwood (the only player in that starting line-up who has a chance of being named in Robinson's first team), the wing David Rees and the prop Will Green.
Best awarded one new cap in his first game, Northampton's No8 Tim Rodber, whereas Rowell, appointed manager of the 1994 tour to South Africa before supplanting Best as coach, went nine matches before giving a starting place to a debutant, Richard West, during the 1995 World Cup.
Whereas Best and Rowell started with winning runs, seven and 10 games respectively, Woodward tasted success only in his sixth match. There were draws against Australia and New Zealand, and defeats by the All Blacks and South Africa, before his first Five Nations match saw England lose in Paris.
His first win came against Wales at Twickenham but it was not until the 1999 World Cup that consistency became a feature of Woodward's selection. He awarded only one new cap during that tournament, to the flanker Joe Worsley, and one more in the Six Nations which followed, to the full-back Iain Balshaw, a replacement for Perry against Ireland.
Robinson does not have the same latitude as Woodward, who announced three different squads in six weeks before settling on his selection for Australia in 1997. Under the current system the England head coach names an elite squad of 60 players at the end of August and is allowed to add to it only to cover for retirements or long-term injuries.
There will be no Long in Robinson's squad for next month's three internationals against Canada, South Africa and Australia, even if Robinson were so minded and despite the rash of injuries he has inherited, which has deprived him of one of his vice-captains, Richard Hill, and most probably his captain Jonny Wilkinson. Even one new cap would be a surprise.
Like Woodward Robinson has changed his captain, though the choice was made for him when Dallaglio retired from international rugby last month. With Wilkinson's inheritance likely to be delayed by an arm injury, the main candidates are Mike Tindall, Jason Robinson, Phil Vickery and Steve Borthwick.
But Vickery started his first match only last Saturday after a back operation in May and believes next month is too soon to return internationally.
Vickery was Woodward's sixth new cap. Like Perry (36 caps) and Greenwood (52) he has been an enduring presence in the England side with 43 Test appearances - unlike Rees, whose international career was curtailed by injury after 11 caps, and Green who like Long, has not started for England since his debut.
First time lucky ...
Will Greenwood
First selected Nov 15 1997
Number of caps 52
Last game v France, Six Nations, March 27 2004
Greenwood toured South Africa with the Lions in 1997 as the only uncapped player in the squad and Woodward wasted no time in placing an asterisk by the then Leicester centre's name.
Greenwood was the only one of five players given their first caps by Woodward against Australia in 1997 to play a part in the successful 2003 World Cup, having forged a strong midfield partnership with Mike Tindall.
Woodward was often accused of playing 10-man rugby and relying on the power of his forwards and the goal-kicking ability of Jonny Wilkinson, but the creative ability of Greenwood gave the lie to that.
Greenwood has scored 30 tries in 52 internationals and has set up countless more.
While he at times struggles at club level with Harlequins, blessed with vision rather than acceleration, he has blossomed on the international stage.
... and unlucky
Andy Long
First selected Nov 15, 1997
Number of caps 2
Last game v USA, June 15 2001
The then 20-year old Bath hooker was plucked from nowhere by Woodward and as quickly sent back to where he had come from. Whipped off at half-time against Australia, he was replaced by Richard Cockerill, who quickly established himself as the leading contender in the position.
It was more than three years before Long won his second cap, as a replacement during the 2001 tour to north America when England took a largely reserve squad with the Lions touring Australia at the same time.
Long's career with Bath fizzled out disappointingly and he never really established himself as the club's No1 hooker. He had a short spell with Munster before joining Rotherham last season. After the Titans were relegated, he moved to Newcastle but is on the sidelines with a hamstring strain. When he signed for the Falcons, Long said his ambition was to regain his place in the England squad.
