Wednesday 8 June 2016 17:19, UK
Eddie Jones could be deliberating whether to replace Chris Robshaw with Maro Itoje in England's back row for Saturday's opening Test against Australia, live on Sky Sports 1.
Itoje was given Robshaw's place at blindside flanker during Monday's training session and could provide an injection of dynamism to the position, with his power, athleticism and ability over the ball all features of a stellar season which saw him win the Aviva Premiership and Champions Cup with Saracens.
Joe Launchbury would fill the vacancy at lock after his outstanding shift in the rout of Wales at Twickenham last month, a match World Cup captain Robshaw missed to attend his brother's wedding in Portugal.
Should he be selected, 21-year-old Itoje would encounter the toughest of matches against Wallabies back row masters David Pocock and Michael Hooper in a Test Jones insists England must win if they are to secure an historic series victory.
Jones also must decide whether to persevere with the out-of-form George Ford at fly-half or name Owen Farrell as his playmaker, with uncapped rugby league convert Ben Te'o favourite to fill the vacancy at inside centre if Farrell is moved.
Te'o missed a training session on Monday with "muscle soreness" but is expected to train on Thursday, with the 29-year-old set to join Worcester from Leinster upon his return from the tour.
Australia head coach Michael Cheika has revealed he tried to persuade Te'o to join a Super Rugby team, thus making him eligible for Wallabies selection, but lacked the financial muscle to compete with the Warriors and insisted he would not have made the World Cup finalists' squad so soon anyway.
"I spoke a fair bit to Ben before he went over to Leinster because it's my old club. We talked about footie," Cheika said. "He was always going to make it because of his attitude towards the game. He wasn't pressured by a lot of fanfare, either. He just went over there and got things done.
"We would have been keen to have him back in Australia but clubs over there have too much money. It's hard and shows a bit of the divide around where the money is in rugby when we as a national team can't compete with Worcester for a player.
"He would have been back in Super Rugby but I'm not saying he would have been in this squad. We wanted him back to play Super Rugby, with a view to having that depth with him becoming available for selection. But I wouldn't have said he would have been in this squad, no."
A photo of Te'o wearing an Ireland shirt and wishing the team luck against Scotland before last autumn's World Cup was deleted from his Instagram account and he had previously stated he was open to the prospect of playing for Joe Schmidt's team were he to qualify on residency grounds.
The nomadic Auckland-born centre represented the Junior Kiwis, Queensland and Samoa at rugby league before having three options made available to him in international union, with England ultimately securing his allegiance.
Red Rose defence coach Paul Gustard has no doubt over his loyalty, but has revealed that his new team-mates have joked about the number of options open to him.
"He's made the decision to join an English club next season with Worcester," Gustard said. "He's made the decision to come here on the England tour, he's not with Ireland or back with Australia.
"He has shown his allegiance by putting his foot in the camp. The boys may mock him, have a bit of fun with him, as they do, but his decision proves where he wants to be."
