"I don’t understand" - Sir Clive woodward baffled by Eddie Jones latest England selection

Prop Joe Marler, who will not train until Friday after isolating with Covid-19, is named on the bench, as is uncapped hooker Nic Dolly.

Joe Marchant is on the wing with Manu Tuilagi returning to the midfield.

"Eddie Jones’ team is pretty much as expected, bar the introduction of converted centre Joe Marchant on the wing," wrote Woodward.

'I don’t understand the reluctance to go with Adam Radwan but it’s Eddie’s call and it will prove to be a masterstroke or a bad mistake.

'I would probably have started with Joe Marler but we don’t know what the medics are saying after his isolation following a positive Covid test.'

Wales boss Wayne Pivac doesn't expect to have his skipper available for the 2022 Six Nations. Jones will undergo surgery on his left shoulder after being injured during their Autumn Nations Series opener against New Zealand back in October.

It is the same shoulder he hurt before the British & Irish Lions’ South Africa tour earlier this year, although on that occasion he made a startling recovery and featured in all three Tests. However, it had not healed sufficiently, and now the 36-year-old faces an extended spell on the sidelines.

Precise details are still to be confirmed, but the indications are that the England captain requires an operation on the injury he sustained to his left ankle and will be out for 10-12 weeks.

That means he should be returning around the time the Six Nations kicks off, meaning he will be some way of match fitness.

Next year, the opening fixture is against Scotland at Murrayfield on February 5 and after losing at home against the same opponents in the 2021 tournament, Eddie Jones will want to go to Edinburgh with his strongest side.

The flanker is set to miss the entire Autumn Nations Series and Six Nations because of the shoulder injury he sustained while playing for Cardiff. Navidi dislocated a shoulder in the United Rugby Championship match with the Bulls on October 9. He has undergone surgery and a report in The Rugby Paper suggests the 30-year-old will be sidelined for at least six months.

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The Italy forward is still "not near" to returning from a knee injury he sustained almost a year ago, says Gloucester head coach George Skivington. Polledri, suffered a significant knee ligament injury during Italy's match against Scotland in the Autumn Nations Cup on 17 November. He has had surgery and been on the sidelines ever since.

In the case of George, a specialist assessment has suggested that surgery is not thought to be needed, but he is likely to require a prolonged period of rest and recuperation between 8 and 10 weeks.

If George can recover and get in the groove again, he will challenge Luke Cowan-Dickie and Jamie Blamire for the No 2 shirt.