IT IS HARD FOR OWEN TO DOMINATE FROM No 12. . .

I switched between the 10 and 12 jerseys at two world cups and there’s a big difference between the positions. You have less control on a game when you’re playing at No 12 because you’re not the one calling the shots. Your influence is probably diluted by 20 or 30 per cent. I’m sure George Ford and Owen Farrell chat things through on the field, but when the game is quick and things liven up, it’s hard to dominate from inside centre. You’re that bit further from the heat of the action, so you have slightly fewer conversations with the scrum-half and the forwards. the way england like to play under eddie Jones makes it even tougher for Farrell to put his stamp on a game from 12. england want to go through the opposition, rather than around them, and that means big runners off nine and 10. they want to bully the opposition, so the 12 doesn’t have quite as many touches. everyone knows Jones is ruthless and honest. If he wants Farrell to play at No 10, then he will put Farrell at No 10. Ford is making an exceptional statement — ‘I merit selection in the knockout games’ — but I don’t think he is playing so well he can’t be dropped. Ford has had a couple of really good games. he’s had good ball, set up a couple of good tries and looked really comfortable. But he’s probably had 50 per cent more touches than Farrell so he’s going to take centre stage. If your team’s stuttering a little bit, you become a facilitator at 12, rather than someone driving the game, and that’s probably what’s happened. Jones wants two front-line kickers on the field at any time, but his options have been limited so far because of henry slade’s injury. when everyone’s fit, I think he will pick Farrell at 10, Manu tuilagi at 12 and slade at 13. It’s a tough call on Ford, but that’s the most fluid option. slade offers something a bit more dynamic. the way he moves and operates creates holes in midfield — and you simply can’t leave Farrell out of the team. he’s the captain and he’s shown his quality over the last year or two. Yes, he had an ‘off’ game on saturday, but that’s because we hold him to such high standards. sometimes things don’t click for you. Getting a couple of whacks probably didn’t help. he wasn’t concussed but that can still set you back a little and you can lose your groove. he’s being targeted but that’s not unusual. Opponents will look at what makes england tick. who are their key players? Jamie George, Billy Vunipola, Maro Itoje, Ben Youngs and Farrell. those guys will all have massive targets on their heads. teams will be thinking, ‘If we shut those guys down, then we can hurt them’. we’ve always known Farrell has a spiky temperament and that can lead to players having a pop at him but, let’s not forget, it’s also what makes him an incredible competitor.