Here is our alternative England XV made up of players who were unlucky to miss out on Eddie Jones’ squad for the Six Nations.
There were always going to be some tough calls and with competition for places fiercer than ever before, a number of classy players have been left disappointed
We pick a team out of those players unlucky to miss out…
FULLBACK: JASON WOODWARD
Despite being one of the hottest talents in the Premiership last season, it remains to be seen whether Jones has identified the speedster as a possible starter for his England team. Despite scoring the winning try on debut for Gloucester, Woodward has had a mixed start to life at Kingsholm, however, with limited specialist full-backs, it would have been interesting to see him given a chance.
WINGER: CHRISTIAN WADE
The international wilderness is the most frustrating limbo in sport and this speedster has been trapped in there for far too long. Wade scored 18 tries in 25 appearances for Wasps last season and has already run nine tries this campaign. Very rarely is a player that did nothing wrong in their first game and has shown consistent form at club level ignored, but Wade is definitely one.
CENTRE: JOE MARCHANT
Marchant, who was named in the Premiership team of the season, was one of 15 uncapped players named in the England tour party to Argentina in June for a 2-test series, but unfortunately had to pull out due to injury. The 21-year-old Quins star may not be playing at his best right now, but he remains one England’s hottest up and coming talents.
CENTRE: MANU TUILAGI
Jones has resisted the temptation to fast-track centre Manu Tuilagi straight into the Six Nations. The Aussie has voluntarily allowed Tuilagi to build up his fitness and form at Leicester Tigers. Long an object of fascination for Jones off the back of his barnstorming performance against New Zealand in 2012, the 26-year-old is just four games into the eighth comeback of a truncated career. Hopefully, we will see him in an England shirt again soon.