Former England and Lions star Guscott is a BBC rugby union pundit

Less than two weeks before the start of the November internationals, England announced an injury-hit squad for the Tests against Australia, Argentina and New Zealand.

Here, Jeremy Guscott explains why he would have Bath's Matt Banahan starting for Martin Johnson's team and why Matt Tait is struggling to make the side.

He also gives his take on how Scotland could fare under Andy Robinson, the rise of injuries in the sport, and which player he thinks was the quickest while he was playing.

If you have a question for Jerry, you can submit it by using the form in the top right-hand corner of the page. He will answer as many as possible next week.

With Matt Banahan playing so well for Bath against Stade Francais last week, do you think there is any chance of a Banahan-Ugo Monye wing partnership for England? It would certainly add a much needed physical presence to the backline, which is not exactly intimidating at the moment.
Ben, Kent

Matt Banahan (centre) should start for England, says Guscott

Ben, Banahan is one of the most improved players over the last 12 months and would be in my starting line-up.

He has been playing well and opens up many options in attack. You can use him coming into the attacking line off players nine, 10, 12, and 13 or as a decoy runner.

You can cross-kick to him and get him chasing high balls. He is a good professional who is always looking to have the ball.

With Andy Robinson approaching his first competitive matches with Scotland, how do you think Scotland will fare and which players in the recently named squad do you think will be key for the future of Scottish rugby?
James, Fife

Fiji, Australia and Argentina are going to be tough tests.

Edinburgh and Glasgow players have shown good early season form so far and, add to the mix the exiles, there is no reason not to believe Scotland will produce improved performances.

Fly-half has long been a problem position for Scotland and it looks as though Robinson has settled for Phil Godman.

Players to watch, if selected, for me are Sean Lamont, who looks like he is back to pre-injury form and interested in playing rugby again at Scarlets, while Nikki Walker is showing great form.

I am a massive fan of Mathew Tait and I don't understand why Martin Johnson doesn't pick him in the starting XV. Also, do you think Tait made the best decision when he joined Sale? If not, what club would you like to see him at?
Ross, England.

Ross, I'm a big fan of Tait's and would love to see him playing at outside centre for England. I feel he needs a foil alongside him, a centre that can take the ball into contact or run as a decoy.

This would allow Tait the space to operate. Shane Geraghty is likely to be picked at inside centre and I don't think Martin Johnson would go for Tait as his partner.

606: DEBATE Discuss England's selection dilemmas

Club-wise, he needs to be playing in a team that creates a game-plan around his skills and I don't think Sale are doing that at the moment.

I'm sure Jason Robinson realises what a talent he has at his disposal, but he has just got to find a way to get the best out of him.

The current number of injuries is unsustainable. Do you think that the removal of rucking has had the opposite effect? Players need to be more powerful so they can cross the gain-line while double tackling and individuals smashing into the contact area have resulted in far more serious injuries. Any thoughts?
John, Wales

John, I agree with a lot you say. I very strongly feel that rucking should be brought back into the game, mainly because it would keep players honest at the breakdown.

If they go off their feet and stop the ball from coming out quickly, then they deserve to be legally rucked.

But I don't believe its removal has added to the injury count. A majority of injuries are unpreventable.

I do, however, agree the game has become more physical and if players looked to run at gaps rather than bodies, then maybe there might be fewer injuries.

But size isn't always an issue. Look at Martyn Williams, Shane Williams, Dan Carter and Heinrich Brussow to name a few.

What are your opinions on the current trend of southern hemisphere sides playing mid-week games on their end-of-year tours? Do you think it would be a good idea for the home nations to adopt a similar approach to assist the credentials of young up and coming players?
Conor, Ireland

Conor, I think it is great news and, yes, it gives the developing players in a squad the opportunity to play rather than train, sit on the bench or in the stands watching.

It would be a good idea for the home unions to adopt this kind of touring schedule.

Would it be better to field a rugby league team in the sevens in the Olympics as their players are more suited to this type of game?
Paul Mather, England

Paul, I take your thoughts onboard and, yes, the league guys have proved in the past to be good at the seven-a-side version of the game.

However, sevens has really developed in the last few years and there are a lot of technicalities involved that I'm not sure a lot of the league guys could adapt to quickly enough.

If I was looking after the sevens team, I would certainly look at drafting in some league guys and give them some kind of trial to see how they adapt.

There is no doubt in my mind that some of them have the skill and ability that could be utilised.

Something else to remember is that the Great Britain team will be picked from players in England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, so there will be a lot of talent to choose from.

Who was the fastest player you ever played? I ask because in all the games I ever watched you play, you seem to be cruising alongside, say, the Underwoods, while they were sprinting. Were you always the quickest?
Christopher Edwards, Gloucester

Christopher, David Trick, the ex-Bath winger, was without doubt the quickest player I've played with and Martin Offiah was the quickest I ever played against.

It is easier when you're running without the ball and you always look a lot more relaxed than the player with the ball who everyone wants to smash!

What are your thoughts on the overuse of kicking in modern rugby union matches? As a rugby league fan, it pains me to watch top-class backs constantly kicking the ball to the opposition with no intention of making touch. Do you think this is a problem in today's game and how can it be stopped?
Guy Bottomley, United Kingdom

It's a big problem for rugby union that only coaches or hard-nosed, ambitious players can fix at the moment.

Players need to have the ambition to run the ball back and believe they have the skill to go through the phases, while the coaches have to believe their players have the skill.

It's easier for most teams to kick and defend; there is a lot of pressure on players not to get caught behind their pack with the ball.

Unfortunately, South Africa have shown over the last two or three seasons that if you can kick well and organise your defence, you don't have to go through phases of play to score points (there is a bit more to it than that, your set-piece, particularly the line-out, needs to be almost perfect).

Saracens are a mini-template of the Springboks and it is proving very effective. Law changes might need to be made if it continues.

For example, could any kick caught unchallenged between the 22m line and the half-way line be marked and result in a scrum from where the ball was kicked?

Jerry, why do referees consistently call back scrum-halves who take quick tap penalties. This is really frustrating and penalises the attacking team and not the team that offended in the first place!
Gavin Murphy, Cardiff

Gavin, I'm not sure I totally agree with you. I've watched games this season, Guinness Premiership and Magners, where the referees have allowed quick taps.

It is the second tap-and-go where referees are likely to call back the scrum-half which is correct, according to the laws.

Sometimes the referee has to speak with the offending player and realistically, without stopping play, you could quick tap all the way to the try-line.

After playing rugby for 14 years, I have suffered my first major injury, snapping my collarbone. I have recently started training again, but I am struggling going into contact for fear of breaking the bone again. Do you have any ideas about getting over the psychological barrier?
Chris Baxter, Germany

Chris, you will know through training when you are back to full fitness. Rugby is a tough game but, just like when you were a kid, you fall off a bike and hurt yourself but you get back on it.

It's no different getting an injury in rugby. Just break yourself in gently and don't get to physical too soon, it's a long season.

Stop criticising Sale! They aren't world-class at the moment but to be honest, no team is in the Premiership. What is your opinion of James Gaskell? He is a future England player for me.
Stephen Thomas

Stephen, come on my man, Sale have played six, won one, drawn one and lost four, lying 10th in the league. Need I say more?

As for James Gaskell, at 6ft 7in he is tall enough but 16st is light for a second row, although he has played in the back-row, too. However, at 19, he definitely has time to develop.

Nick Kennedy still has time to make it into the England team

It's not easy being that light. Look at Nick Kennedy at London Irish. Statistically he's been the best line-out forward in the Premiership for the past few seasons because he is not smashing people about in the loose.

There are always exceptions, however, and there is no reason why Gaskell shouldn't make it. Victor Matfield is light but he has got some heavyweight guys around him.

Ian Jones of New Zealand was light for a second row but he had amazing skill and punched above his weight in the loose.

I play for an U16 team, and we are a good team. However, when we play the better sides which either have the size advantage or the speed, we almost always lose. We are a team with more skill than most, but we don't have massive forwards and our backs are not the fastest. What style of play do you suggest?
Chris, England

Chris, for me skill is very important and if you have this at such an early age, then you are a lot further ahead of teams than you currently think.

My suggestion would be to work on techniques. You have good skill, but combine that with technique and it will be very difficult to get the ball off your team.

You have to find a game plan that suits your team. Size and speed might come with age as some players develop later than others.

Persevere, Chris, you're all very young and have lots of time to get bigger and quicker.

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