The inclusion of Chris Ashton and Shontayne Hape in England's squad for the Six Nations might have surprised a few people but I am quietly pleased. Generally when you are scoring tries you are going to stand out, and it is very difficult to leave someone like Ashton out when you are a side like England that is not scoring tries. The management will want to have a closer look at him in training, because he clearly has the skills and the ability. But does he have the mentality and what is he like as a character? He shows every sign of stacking up in that regard and it will be good for him to play with the best. He will improve as a player, no question.  | 606: DEBATE |
I don't think Hape has realised his full potential yet - and he is blessed with a lot of potential. That might be realised by training and playing with better players around him. Maybe Martin Johnson and attack coach Brian Smith have that same view. Hape has every single skill in the book. He has that rugby league distribution, his passing is brilliant and he is big and powerful. He is not a gas merchant but he is not a slow-coach either. He has a bit of pace - enough to see a gap and make a half-break. He also doesn't need to kick. It is handy to have an outside centre that can, but it is not essential.  Hape is a powerful midfield presence |
I have no doubt he is a more than capable player, but sometimes I don't think he has the self-belief to do what he needs to do for himself, because maybe he thinks it will detract from what the team is trying to do. Somehow he has got to get beyond that. I think him and Riki Flutey looks a good centre pairing. Flutey punches above his weight defensively, he has that physicality about him, and Hape is from the same mould, although sometimes he can look a bit lost in terms of position. But a midfield of Jonny Wilkinson, Flutey and Hape is a pretty tough one defensively. In attack, if Flutey plays as well as he did at the end of last year's Six Nations, when he was really coming into his own, he could be the spark that England have been lacking. He is also very vocal, and I think England need someone like that in the backline, to speak their mind and bat things back to Smith and the other coaches if they don't agree with what they're being asked to do. Whoever they pick at centre, I think they should give them three games together barring injuries, unless someone has a complete nightmare. What England need more than anything is to have a spell where they don't get so many injuries and can have a run of games together. It will be very interesting to see if they opt to keep Wilkinson at number 10 or pick Toby Flood now he is available again. I would find it really tough to choose between the two of them at the moment - it depends who Johnson feels is best suited to playing the game he wants to play. I would be tempted to go with Jonny because of his consistency in goal-kicking and keeping the scoreboard ticking over. | It is brilliant to see Delon Armitage back and Ben Foden's form rewarded |
For me Flood still doesn't have that air of authority about him that great fly-halves need to run the show. You don't necessarily get that overwhelming feeling with Wilkinson anymore either, but because of what else he brings, he is still a leader. I see Steve Borthwick has yet to be confirmed as captain again, and so many people don't even want him in their team, let alone as skipper. Johnson must believe he is the best player in his position in the country, and ultimately he will be judged on his judgement, but I would have Courtney Lawes in my team and Simon Shaw has to start. It is brilliant to see Delon Armitage back and Ben Foden's form rewarded, and another youngster like Lawes actually in the elite squad. I have got to say it is a surprise to see Tim Payne still in there, because he was part of a Wasps front row that was destroyed by Leicester last week. But with Andrew Sheridan still injured, there aren't too many other options at loose-head. Jerry's England team to face Wales on 6 February: Armitage, Cueto, Hape, Flutey, Banahan; Wilkinson, Care; Payne, Hartley, White, Shaw, Lawes, Croft, Moody, Easter. Jeremy was speaking to BBC Sport's Bryn Palmer
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