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

The last week in English rugby was dominated by Danny Cipriani's decision to turn his back on the Premiership and head to Australia with the new Melbourne Rebels franchise.

Meanwhile, Wales, Ireland and Scotland are all grappling with the loss of players through injury as the third round of the Six Nations looms.

Domestically, Leicester extended their lead at the top of the Guinness Premiership and the Ospreys went top of a congested Magners League, where four points separate the top five.

If you have a question for BBC Sport rugby union expert 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, while this week's answers appear below.

Jeremy, how do you feel about Danny Cipriani's decision to head off to Australia and give up on his career in England? Do you think he is right to do so, and will a future English set-up have him back at any stage for international duty? He just seems too talented to let go.
Nick Ruthven, Scotland

Cipriani has ended his 2011 World Cup chances after joining Melbourne Rebels

Nick, personally I feel he should have stayed and fought for his position instead of running a million miles away. From what I've read recently the lad appears to be disillusioned with rugby in England and feels he needs to get as far away as possible. It is a great loss but it appears he's not ready to fight for his place so the best place for him would be Australia. He can get his head together and come back and get his place back in the England team. If he comes back and plays good rugby then no matter who is England team manager he should be vying for selection.

Danny Cipriani's decision to play in Australia seems, to me, to highlight a clash of personalities with Martin Johnson. Effectively turning his back on England, do you think there is any way back into the England fold if/when he returns to the northern hemisphere?
Andy, Lincoln, UK

Andy, I really don't think it's a question of personalities or egos clashing. Danny Cipriani hasn't played well enough to deserve selection.

Cipriani's gone, what a waste of a great talent. I think he's going to have a great time out there as it suits his game hugely. Johnson is going to regret saying if any player cannot play in the Six Nations, they will not be picked in the World Cup. I just think he's going to become a really great player. What do you think of his departure?
Hugh, England

Hugh, Johnson saying that any player not playing in the Six Nations will not be playing in the World Cup is short-sighted. I hope Cipriani shows he can cope with disappointment, put it behind him and prove he is the player a lot of people believe he is. Cipriani will be playing against the best fly-halves in the world, if he doesn't come back a better player there's something wrong with him. I hope he learns to tackle playing in the Super 15, but judging by what I've seen so far in the competition it's not a requirement.

I watched some of the Super 14 games over the weekend and was amazed by the number of tries. Does the southern hemisphere play a different game to the northern hemisphere?
Alan Fox, UK

Alan, purely and simply, there are a lot of first-up tackles being missed by a lot of players, allowing all these tries to be scored.

What more does Toby Flood have to do to get in the England team? It's suggested Jonny Wilkinson's kicking is keeping him in the team but Flood has been playing and kicking consistently well this season for Leicester!
Tom Cooke, England

Toby Flood would be a change in direction for the England game plan. TF doesn't have the same field presence as JW purely because he hasn't had a decent run in the international side. He will get another chance I'm sure and while he waits he needs to be even more consistent in his kicking and hope JW has another shocker against Ireland.

Ireland need to play a quicker game against England - if they stick to a more forward orientated game plan it will bring England into the match

Do you believe that the England crowd will get behind Martin Johnson more if he steps out of his comfort zone and selects in-form players like Ben Foden and Chris Ashton. I would love to see some daring and brave rugby from the men in white instead of being conservative.
Jamie, England

Hi Jeremy, considering how ineffective England's backs have been at scoring tries recently, why aren't players like James Simpson-Daniel and Chris Ashton being selected? There have often been doubts about the defence of some of the more skilful backs in the Premiership (Sinbad, Tait etc) but Simpson-Daniel has bulked up unrecognisably recently and with Ashton's history in league his defence is not in question either - with players like this, and Ben Foden, playing well and scoring tries, why do we not see them being selected?
Jamie Broad, UK

Jamie and Jamie, we haven't seen the best of the England backs because until this season the forwards haven't given them the best ball to attack from. However, this season they have had plenty of opportunities in two games to show us what they can do and have failed. I truly believe Foden should get his chance because Armitage has had two below average games and should have been dropped. Ashton will have to wait and Simpson-Daniel is still a little below his very best.

Should Brian Ashton feel slightly aggrieved to have lost his job after taking England to the World Cup final and second in the Six Nations - their best result since 2003? Martin Johnson's team were lucky to finish second last year and have arguably gone backwards since then. Ashton coached his backs to think for themselves - isn't that exactly what you are calling for?
Daniel, Australia

Daniel, Brian Ashton or Mike Catt would be a good choice to coach the England team about attack. You still need players who want to listen and go out and do it and I'm not 100% sure this current crop of players can think for themselves. Whilst Rob Andrew is running England elite rugby there is no way back for Brian Ashton.

As an Englishman watching French Top 14 rugby week in week out I am rather surprised at the growing notion that England have a better option than Wilkinson at number 10. It is the considered opinion, not just of the general French supporter but also of players and coaches, that JW has the best all round vision of any number 10 playing in their championship. They would certainly be more than happy if their nemesis was not in the England team. I don't know if Jeremy would agree, but it is not the number 10 who gets a backline moving, it is the number nine, and it has become the habit, not just for Care, for most nines these days to stare at the ball in the ruck like first-time fathers before picking it up. This supposedly is to give some lumbering second row time to get into position to make a headlong charge of less than one yard - forgetting that it also gives the opposition defence the time to organise. The All Blacks exploit the holes around the rucks, but they do so via quick distribution. The speed, depth and accuracy of Wilkinson's pass creates space, but the potential is lost if the number nine allows time for defences to fill that space.
Peter Burley, France

Wilkinson is highly rated in France after shining for Toulon

Peter, at his best JW is a very good player, it's just we haven't seen him at his best for England on a regular basis for a long time. His performances during the autumn were good but he didn't set his backline on fire. As a senior player he should be telling Danny Care to give him the ball sharpish rather than running a few steps with the ball before passing. JW is no playmaker at international level, that much we have seen. There have been a few individual performances over the years that were memorable where he was the player that did everything.

Jerry, how long do you think England can continue with Jonny Wilkinson whilst he continues to fail to fire the backline, doesn't threaten the opposition, by standing so deep, and still struggles with tactical kicking. I can't think of a ready made replacement if Johnno persists in ignoring the talents of Danny Cipriani.
Danny, England

Danny, let's wait and see if Riki Flutey can start the England backline firing from inside centre and then JW can settle into his role of pivot. JW does have good distribution through passing and the quicker England play the better Wilkinson will perform. JW's frailties are more exposed when England play a slower game.

Jerry, do you think that there is too much emphasis put on game plans to counteract the strengths of the opposition? Where is the more positive approach of playing to England's strengths and let the opposition do the worrying? The squad are all professional athletes doing their job, but not being given the opportunity to do it to their full ability. We are starting to look like Italy did a few years ago... a 10-man side going forward with no confidence in the backs, they are just there to make up the defence, and return any kicks. Do we need a bit of "Barbarians" attitude back in the squad?
Peter, England

Peter, what England players need are the guts to play what they see in front of them. The forwards need to start running as though they want to knock over players trying to tackle them. The backs need to start using moves they have practised in training; we've only seen one! It's not rocket science but we are seeing an England team that lacks ambition.

Do you think Warren Gatland's policy of only really picking players based in Wales is hurting us as there are a lot of good Welsh players in the Guinness Premiership - Gloucester's Gareth Delve is one that stands out and Sale's Lee Thomas another. Is this poor selection policy costing us the Six Nations?
Michael Jones, Wales

Michael, I believe Gatland will pick the best players. He's not overly happy at his players playing outside of Wales but if they are good enough he will select them. Wales haven't been at their best this season but that's been down to their poor discipline, line-out and defence.

Hi Jerry, it seems Bath have returned to form, to what extent do you think this is down to the return of fly-half Butch James?
Chris Pettet, England

Chris, I believe it has everything to do with Butch James; he's a player who has won the World Cup and nothing out there fazes him. Everyone around him has performed better since his return, Michael Claassens has been revitalised and even Ryan Davis has had good games.

Hi Jeremy. Jean de Villiers is leaving Munster in the summer and now there are rumours Doug Howlett will too. Munster have already been linked with Riki Flutey. Do you think this would be a good signing as Munster already have a similar type of player in Lifeimi Mafi?
Alan, Ireland

Alan, a player like Flutey will fit into any side that wants to attack, that's his style. His work ethic would fit well with Munster.

Jerry, England struggled to a narrow win over Italy while Ireland got thumped in Paris. Psychologically, which team will be in better shape come Saturday?
Jonathan, United Arab Emirates

Do you think Ireland have the strength in depth required to bounce back when they face England at Twickenham this weekend? I think this could potentially be another great bounce-back like we saw against South Africa in the second Lions Test last summer. The experience that the vast representation Ireland had in that team will have picked up will surely carry Ireland through?
Harry, England

Ireland face England on the back of a heavy defeat by France

Harry, psychologically I think England, despite their poor performance against Italy, have the edge because they are winning. Ireland need to play a quicker game - if they stick to a more forward orientated game plan it will bring England into the match. For the first time in a while we will see whether Ireland can step up and perform when required. However, given they are more experienced than England, I still expect them to win.

Could Wales try James Hook at number 10? He seems to be the only player making breaks and if he did it from 10 the pack may have more influence at the breakdown. Stephen Jones has done nothing wrong but he does not give us go forward or pose a threat to the opposition back row. Hook and Leigh Halfpenny should be able to compensate for the kicking.
Nigel Thomas

Nigel, I think Hook is playing well at 13. Wales just need to give him more ball and open the game up more and then we will see Halfpenny, Hook, Lee Byrne and Shane Williams at their best.

Jeremy, I'm really saddened by some of the comments, yours included, about Lee Byrne's trip during the Scotland game. I think the diving accusations are grossly unfair. You should know better than most that when travelling at full tilt, which he was, then even the slightest contact will cause a dramatic fall. I genuinely believe this was the case on Saturday and feel sorry for all these 'snipers', to coin a phrase, that have attacked Lee.
Kev, Wales

Kev, get over it!

Jeremy, what do you think of the sidelining of Andy Powell from the Welsh team, after his golf-carting incident? I don't see how this can be any worse than footballers assaulting members of the public but still being able to play for their respective teams in the following game?
Kris Thorne, France

Kris, that's the difference between football and rugby, it was right to discipline Powell and drop him from the squad. It sets the right example and football could learn from this action by the Welsh management.

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