LIST: Five 'pensioners' who WON'T play for England again

“If we kept the squad we had now, we’d be too old for the World Cup. There is a certain profile of around 28 years of age for a World Cup-winning side,” the 61-year-old said.

“We have been bringing that down slowly over the last two years and we need to keep accelerating that because the more senior guys keep getting older.

“It’s about getting the balance right in the squad between what we have in terms of very good players and 11 good enough to play for the Lions, so they are pretty good players and if they keep their desire and form there is no reason why those guys can’t go to the World Cup.

“All of those guys are probably 25 and above as a general point, so we want to bring some younger guys in with energy, risklessness (sic) and desire that will lift the team higher and higher.”

Here we look at five players whose time is perhaps up in the England shirt.

No doubt talks over Joseph’s potentially moving to France with The Rugby Paper reporting that he could join Toulon have arisen with the centre’s England career seemingly over having been dropped for the 2021 Guinness Six Nations. Joseph last played for England in November in the Autumn Nations Cup win over Wales in Llanelli.

Joseph's England axing led to an unfortunate series of events that saw the centre, along with Bath lock Elliott Stooke and Wasps' Gabriel Oghre caught breaking national Covid-19 lockdown rules, leading to them all being banned.

Potential replacement: Ollie Lawrence (Worcester Warriors), Joe Marchant (Harlequins), Piers O'Conor (Bristol Bears)

The Falcons warrior-like back-rower has been a consistent lieutenant for Jones since making his debut against Argentina in 2017 - but with a lot of impressive young back-rowers pushing for a place in the squad - his time might be up.

Potential replacements: Miles Reid (Bath), Ben Curry (Sale Sharks), Ted Hill (Worcester Warriors)

May has underwhelmed since rejoining the Cherry & Whites while the likes of Adam Radwan and Ollie Hassell-Collins have stood out for their respective teams. Newcastle flyer Radwan, who was the top-scorer in the Championship last season, put the England winger on his ass twice as the two went head-to-head at Kingston Park earlier this season.

It's, unfortunately, starting to look like May is on a downward slide after reaching his peak around 2018.

Potential replacements: Adams Radwan (Newcastle Falcons), Ollie Hassell-Collins (London Irish), Ollie Thorley (Gloucester)

Frustratingly, Robson has never got the run in the team that his form in recent seasons deserved - and it now seems that his time has passed him by. With Ben Youngs still very much first choice, Jones seems keen to give a younger playmaker an opportunity which could very well lead to Robson being left in the cold.

Possible replacements: Alex Mitchell (Northampton Saints), Harry Randall (Bristol Bears), Ben Spencer (Bath)

Certainly past his best, the England head coach has hinted that the number 8 will have to earn his place to play for England again. Alex Dombrandt looks primed to get a chance this summer with Sam Simmonds set to enter the fray in the Autumn following the Lions series against South Africa.

Potential replacements: Alex Dombrandt (Harlequins), Sam Simmonds (Exeter Chiefs)