Alphonsi: This is Underhill’s big chance

This autumn gives Eddie Jones the chance to hunt for his No7. He’s always had the experience of James Haskell and Chris Robshaw to lean on, but there is now the opportunity to work with an abundance of good young openside flankers.

Sam Underhill gets the first valuable opportunity to impress this weekend after some strong early-season form for Bath. I think Tom Curry would have started at some point in the autumn, against either Australia or Samoa. However, an unfortunate injury means he will have to bide his time.

Jones has said for a long time that he wants three talented players in each position ahead of Rugby World Cup 2019. What’s nice is that the back row seems to have that now.

The exciting Sam Simmonds is on the bench today and Zach Mercer will get looked at during the autumn, too. I cannot wait to see Underhill, a really promising seven, let loose against some strong opposition.

His tackle count has been immense in a well-balanced Bath back row. His defensive workrate really stands out, and he doesn’t just bring players down. He stops them in their tracks. He is ferocious. If I was a 10, I would definitely not want to run down his channel.

He is strong over the ball and is quickly developing into a shrewd operator at the breakdown, picking his moments to steal or to leave the ball alone and be a nuisance. Argentina play a fast game and like to keep the ball alive, so slowing down any good ball that they get – and stifling their continuity – will be important. You need physical strength as well as technique to do that, and I think Underhill has the edge over Curry in that area at the moment.

We should not forget that Underhill is 21 and Curry 19. It is going to be really enjoyable to watch them battle for selection over the next few years.

When I played for England, I fought over the jersey with Heather Fisher and then Marlie Packer came along.

I think that made the position very strong, because we were trying to earn the right to wear the jersey and then working even harder to keep it.

Michael Hooper and David Pocock took each other to different levels and, eventually, they were both picked for Australia at seven and eight. It is important to have that battle. Eddie wants competition. All of the boys are talking about how they do not feel safe in their shirt, which is the perfect place for England to be.

There was always that level of respect, but my experience was that the selection battle became fiercer in the lead-up to big tournaments.

In training, you want to be the one making breaks and steals. In defence sessions, you might try to hunt your rival down and make a big tackle on them. Even in the gym, it is you versus them and it is a battle to stand out.

When they do something good, it will be a case of: “They’ve made that break … what can I do now to make a mark?” You almost do not mind if your team loses a game in training, as long as you have gone well against the other flanker. I felt lucky because it wasn’t playing against New Zealand or France or Canada that made me a good player. It was fighting against Fisher and Packer.

It gets to the point where, if you are lucky enough to be selected, you will be chuffed but you will also know it is only going to fuel their fire. Underhill will know that Curry is watching him. Curry will see the level that Underhill sets and try to take it further when he is fit again.

Openside flankers have never been the dominant feature of English rugby. In the southern hemisphere, it has been the superstar position, and a focal point of how their teams have played. Since Eddie has come into his post, he has highlighted the fact that he needs a seven. Now youngsters are being identified and pushed through.

Traditionally the way England have played has, perhaps, not allowed an openside to shine. There has been a focus on a dominant scrum and heavier carriers trucking it up. In the southern hemisphere, the openside has been allowed to roam among the backs.

Both of the Tests against Argentina this summer were fast and the back-rowers really got into the game. The way England are playing now, with a focus on attack, will allow even more opensides to come through.

I want to see a number seven who can do it all. You probably have to go back to the time of Neil Back for an England openside capable of that. Kwagga Smith showed the way for the Barbarians against the All Blacks. He made tackles, linked with the backs and won turnovers. He was not afraid to have a go, which is what I want from an openside.

That is what Eddie is looking for, and he has two young flankers who will challenge each other and push each other towards fulfilling that role.