It was a shame that our match yesterday against London Irish was cancelled, partly because Saracens need to bounce back after the defeat at Leicester a week ago but also because I'd have been intrigued to watch two of the most interesting names in Brian Ashton's longlist for the Six Nations, Shane Geraghty and our own Andy Farrell.

Geraghty's inclusion in Ashton's list was fascinating because he wasn't the young fly-half everyone was expecting to be named along with Toby Flood. Most observers were probably looking for the name Ryan Lamb. The two are similar talents but Lamb has greater ability to outwit defences and I would have thought his greater experience in the Premiership compared with Geraghty would have counted for something.

The fly-half discussion is more one for the 2011 World Cup, though; what I hope is that Jonny Wilkinson's return will make any debate unnecessary. However, the Andy Farrell question is more immediate, because of the recent uncertainty over the structure of the England midfield. Andy has really impressed me in his last few games as much for what he can construct going forward as for the damage he can do to the opposition.

He needs fast players around him, but he brings something extra to a team with his power, his kicking ability and his strength in the tackle as well as his passing. If he were to play against either Italy or Scotland it would be fascinating to see how he developed, with international players around him as well as against him and in an arena where everything happens more quickly and with greater intensity than in the Premiership.

It will also be interesting to see how Ashton uses him. I don't see Andy complementing Mike Catt, as they are both essentially playmakers, so he's more likely to be partnered with a fast runner such as Mathew Tait or even, perhaps, Mike Tindall, who is on fire again for Gloucester and seems to be more highly regarded outside this country than within its shores. Tindall and Farrell would make an incredibly powerful midfield combination.

Some of the surprises in Ashton's list received plenty of attention but Tindall was one of a group of senior players named by the new coach, names from the 2003 World Cup squad. In my view the return of the men from the glory days to the squad was as notable as the influx of new blood: you have Tindall, Jason Robinson, Steve Thompson and Wilkinson, with Phil Vickery as the captain.

Vickery's installation as captain is a gamble. He is one of the most important players in the team because he's one of the most dominant on the field and is playing in a key position. He is one of the few players in the squad who is an out-and-out first choice for his place, but he is frequently injured, so continuity may be a problem.

Ashton may be trying to instil a new mind-set among the players, but that group will bring him something else as well: leadership ability on the field, maturity and respect from the opposition. There is another old glory waiting in the wings as well, my team-mate Richard Hill, who had a massive game against Leicester recently and is physically back to 100% even though he still has some pain. If he keeps progressing as he is, Ashton should be able to count on him for the World Cup as well.

The presence of the old guard in the squad underlines the point I made through the autumn: injuries as well as managerial faults have played a big part in England's decline. Ashton's task now is to renew English rugby, but I do not feel as pessimistic as many observers seem to be: England will be doughty performers at the World Cup this autumn. What's more, the early fixtures favour Ashton: starting with Scotland and Italy in the Six Nations could create some valuable momentum.

There are questions now, however. Do the players have the capacity to produce what Ashton wants them to? Is the Premiership breeding the players he needs? Does the way he wants them to play correspond to the demands of international rugby? How much say will Ashton have compared with others within the RFU, and particularly Rob Andrew? And, most importantly of all, does he have time?