Will Greenwood Why Jones has picked this 23

15 Elliot Daly Full-back

Eddie Jones is not the sort of person you want to play cards against. He backed Daly for 16 games straight at full-back and I do not think he was bluffing. Daly is a world-class player, has speed to burn and possesses a prodigious boot. Positionally not always perfect at 15. But do you pick Daly for what he can do or what he can’t?

14 Anthony Watson Wing

At his best this guy is off-the-charts good. Rapid, elusive, safe under the high ball. Another option at full-back. Comes in a little undercooked, and to be honest I think Jones might have started Joe Cokanasiga here if he was fit. But looked sharp enough against Italy two weeks ago and could potentially bag a sackful of tries in the space of five days.

13 Manu Tuilagi Centre

Henry Slade’s injury has given Tuilagi the chance to play at 13 and he has grabbed it. When Slade returns, we may see the return of their successful Six Nations partnership. But in the meantime you just have to get Tuilagi in. This 10-12-13 combination is working. Manu will scare any team, but it is a big ask for him to play all these games in a row.

12 Owen Farrell Centre

Every team on the planet wants a clutch goalkicker and England have one. If it was the final tomorrow, and everyone was fit, he would probably be my 10 with Tuilagi and Slade outside him. Nor is he just filling a gap at 12. At inside centre against Ireland last month, he was world class – taking space, winning the gainline, passing and kicking. 11 Jonny May Wing I do not want to use the word “betting” at the moment but if you lumped on May for top tryscorer you could be sunning yourself in Barbados at Christmas. Will be desperate to play against Tonga and the US to get off to a flyer. I reckon he would be aiming for two tries minimum in both games. A machine with the pace that gives defenders nightmares.

10 George Ford Fly-half

Divides opinion. England’s physical dominance this year means we have not seen Ford play much off back-foot ball, which is always the stick used to beat him with. Until he steers England home in a tight one, those doubts will continue. But he has trained on massively in the past 12 months and Leicester fans swear he got them out of jail last year. Jones has been cute by giving him the vice-captaincy.

9 Ben Youngs Scrum-half

England have brought two scrum-halves – one has four caps, the other close to 100. No wonder he is one of the first picks. Has hit form at exactly the right time. I still want that first box kick to be on the money, though. If he sprays it wide off the first tee, he is liable to spray it the other way off the next one. On his best form, he will scare anyone.

1 Joe Marler Prop

A huge boon for England that he has come back. Who knows? Maybe he will be the hero in the final. Marler is a massive character – on and off the field. His experience and physicality – with Mako Vuninipola injured – are crucial. Joe is already a fans’ cult hero. That eyebrow. Like Ken Dodd’s tickling stick, you do not see Joe without that raised eyebrow.

2 Jamie George Hooker

Had Dylan Hartley not been injured for the past year, would Jamie George still have claimed the starting berth for England at hooker? I think so. I think we saw enough from George on the 2017 Lions tour to know he was something special; without question one of the top three hookers in the world. Part of an important Saracens “spine” to the team.

3 Kyle Sinckler Prop

If you were to pick a world XV, I am not sure this man would not be in at tighthead. In the 23, certainly. He’s that good. Seems to have got his trigger switch more under control now, but still has that snarling, in-your-face presence. Fast, physical. Gives England so much. Dan Cole has a role to play but if you are picking your gun XV, then Sinckler is in.

4 Maro Itoje Second row

Another hugely influential player. Itoje has that X-factor which only special players have. Huge presence on the field, physically enormous, combative. An intelligent player. Links so well with Saracens team-mate George Kruis that in a way I am shocked they have gone for Courtney Lawes alongside him for this game. But it is hardly a downgrade.

5 Courtney Lawes Second row

Usually providing power and energy off the bench, this time Lawes is on from the start. I think Eddie might revert to Itoje-kruis later but Lawes is hardly a step down. He is the kind of player fly-halves look at and start calling for a helmet. They know they will be in for a bone-crunching hit at some point. Covers six as well but I like him in the second row.

6 Tom Curry Flanker

Could emerge a superstar. The kind of guy about whom opposition fans walk home saying: “I didn’t know much about that guy Curry… what a player!” Big, fast, mobile, skilful, zero body fat. His selection at six with Sam Underhill at seven suggests England want to take opponents into the red zone, where oxygen is scarce.

7 Sam Underhill Flanker

Almost interchangeable with Curry in terms of his speed, mobility, power and body fat. A tackling machine. Again, the fact that Eddie is choosing to go with two recognised opensides either side of the scrum suggests to me that he is looking to play the game at a tempo other teams cannot sustain. They want to live in that red zone. Can you cope?

8 Billy Vunipola No 8

Apart from Owen Farrell, the player England could probably least afford to lose to injury. A human wrecking ball and probably the best carrier in the world. Billy, at his best, would walk into a world XV. Not only is he massive, he has dreamy hands as well. A talismanic presence who should be wrapped in cotton wool between matches.