Martin Johnson's revised England squad announced this morning contains expected recalls for Mark Cueto, Mike Tindall and Olly Morgan, as well as a call-up for the uncapped Northampton full-back/scrum-half Ben Foden, but it fails to address the problem position of second row.
Wasps' Tom Palmer remains in the 32 even though he will miss the whole of the Six Nations because of a shoulder injury. Johnson said he would take in the final two rounds of the Heineken Cup before deciding a replacement: Ben Kay, Richard Blaze, George Skivington, Louis Deacon and the promoted Chris Robshaw are the options in the Saxons squad, which has also been updated today.
Six players who were named in the squad last July have been dropped. James Simpson-Daniel, Peter Richards, Olly Barkley and Jordan Crane have been demoted to the Saxons, Jonny Wilkinson is injured and Tom Varndell has dropped off the radar, while the Bath flanker Michael Lipman, who featured in the November internationals, remains with the Saxons after Lewis Moody's recovery from injury, although he may be brought back to cover for the injured Tom Rees.
One of England's problems in November was a lack of experience in key positions, especially midfield. The return of Tindall, who has been in outstanding form for Gloucester, will help offset that, while Cueto, who was denied a try in the 2007 World Cup final by the video referee, gives Johnson options at full-back or on the wing.
There is no place for the heavily touted London Irish flanker Steffon Armitage, who remains in the Saxons but, like Lipman, may yet profit from Rees's absence, while another of England's problem positions, prop, is highlighted by the inclusion in the reserve squad of Johnson's veteran former team-mate at Leicester, Julian White.
White is 36 in May and pulled out of England's World Cup squad because of family commitments. Whether he will want to be bothered with reserve grade international rugby remains to be seen, but Johnson has few scrummaging alternatives and the lack of options in the tight five is a growing concern for a country that built its reputation on forward power.
Foden comes into the squad for the third scrum-half, Peter Richards, another versatile player who has appeared in the midfield, but his best chance of selection lies at full-back, although he may be on the bench for the opening game against Italy because Harry Ellis will not have played for seven weeks because of suspension.
Full-back looked a weakness in the summer but despite, or some would say because of, Josh Lewsey's retirement from international rugby, options have proliferated. Delon Armitage was one of England's few successes in November, but Olly Morgan has been rewarded for outstanding club form with Cueto and Foden adding to the debate.
The overall impact of the changes behind have been to add experience and pace, but the forwards remain largely unchanged, even though as much attention was needed in that area. At least the men in white are not playing the top three sides in the world in the coming weeks.
Three emerging players were promoted to the Saxons: Northampton's rugby league convert, Stephen Myler, the Worcester prop Matt Mullan and the Harlequins centre Jordan Turner-Hall, a member of England's junior world championship squad last year.
The overall impression is of a side in rebuilding mode. The same was being said of Wales a year ago.
Revised 32-man England senior elite player squad
Backs: D Armitage (London Irish), D Care (Harlequins), D Cipriani (Wasps), M Cueto (Sale Sharks), H Ellis (Leicester), T Flood (Leicester), B Foden (Northampton), R Flutey (Wasps), S Geraghty (London Irish), U Monye (Harlequins), O Morgan (Gloucester), J Noon (Newcastle), P Sackey (Wasps), M Tait (Sale Sharks), M Tindall (Gloucester).
Forwards: S Borthwick (Saracens), G Chuter (Leicester), T Croft (Leicester), N Easter (Harlequins), D Hartley (Northampton), J Haskell (Wasps), N Kennedy (London Irish), L Mears (Bath), L Moody (Leicester), L Narraway (Gloucester), T Palmer (Wasps), T Payne (Wasps), T Rees (Wasps), S Shaw (Wasps), A Sheridan (Sale Sharks), M Stevens (Bath), P Vickery (Wasps).
England Saxons elite player squad
Backs: N Abendanon (Bath), M Banahan (Bath), O Barkley (Gloucester), M Brown (Harlequins), D Hipkiss (Leicester), P Hodgson (London Irish), R Lamb (Gloucester), S Myler (Northampton), T Ojo (London Irish), P Richards (London Irish), J Simpson-Daniel (Gloucester), D Strettle (Harlequins), J Turner-Hall (Harlequins), D Waldouck (Wasps), R Wigglesworth (Sale Sharks).
Forwards: S Armitage (London Irish), R Blaze (Leicester), J Crane (Leicester), L Deacon (Leicester), T Guest (Harlequins), B Kay (Leicester), M Lipman (Bath), M Mullan (Worcester), D Paice (London Irish), C Robshaw (Harlequins), G Skivington (Wasps), J Ward (Wasps), R Webber (Wasps), J White (Leicester), D Wilson (Newcastle), N Wood (Gloucester), J Worsley (Wasps).
