"Could work" - Austin Healey suggests radical position change for Sam Simmonds

"It would take buy-in from Exeter and seems like a longshot, given how hard the position is defensively," wrote Healey.

"Eddie must have ideas along those lines which he wants to develop, because there are not many existing options at 13 and the ones that are available do not offer a lot of size.

"Simmonds can still wear No 8 on his shirt but be used in midfield, you don't have to be stereotyped.

"It’s a shame he won’t be fit to tour Australia either due to his hip injury but he should not be ruled out as a long-term alternative."

Sale Sharks have confirmed the powerhouse centre has undergone knee surgery and won’t face Australia as he bids to return to full fitness for the 2022/23 season.

Sale’s statement read: ‘Sale Sharks can confirm Manu Tuilagi has undergone a routine procedure on his knee which will rule the 31-year-old out of this summer’s England tour to Australia.

‘The club, in close consultation with England Rugby, have decided that a summer of rest and a full pre-season is the best course of action to ensure Manu is fit and available for Sale Sharks and England during a crucial year for both club and country.

‘Everyone at the club wishes Manu all the best for his recovery and looks forward to seeing him at Carrington for the start of pre-season.’

The England centre has gone under the knife this week to get a long-standing shoulder injury sorted.

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The England number 8 is a doubt for the rest of the season and could therefore miss the summer, with Simmonds set to meet with consultants over an issue with his hip and groin.

Exeter boss Rob Baxter was cautious in revealing that the back-rower would meet with specialists in the coming days to discuss the best course of treatment.

“We are still monitoring it,” Baxter said. "There are some treatment options, a lot more is going to be known this week. It doesn’t necessarily need to be season over for him but we just need to assess everything correctly.

“Without him getting all the consultants’ feedback, it’s at what level they think any intervention is required at this stage. So I don’t want to say he will definitely be back for England and I don’t want to say he will definitely be back for us at the end of the season because I don’t think it is as simple a prognosis as that.”

Marler has reportedly withdrawn himself from England's plans for the three-Test tour of Australia.

The decision to skip the tour looks unlikely to affect his England prospects after he missed the same tour by choice back in 2016.

It's unlikely that the scrum-half will travel to Australia due to personal reasons after he pulled out of the 2021 Lions tour. As a result, it would be great to get a better look at exciting playmaker Raffi Quirke following his impressive cameo appearances during the Autumn Nations Series.