Jones has a problem: Who to play at No 8 this autumn?

Hvunipola is world class but it is time to look at Simmonds and Dombrandt ahead of next World Cup

Eddie Jones has a problem. Actually, he has lots of problems, but one in particular – who does he pick at No8 for the forthcoming autumn internationals?

This position has particular significance for several reasons and you will struggle to find an effective team, past or present, without an outstanding No 8. Not only do they hold together the back row, they also control scrum ball. The size and athleticism of the player can make an enormous difference to line-out options, and they are expected to be an effective ball carrier and support runner.

There is no strict template for an outstanding No8; they achieve what is required in diverse ways. Contrast Springbok Duane Vermeulen with All Black Kieran Read and you get the point. The former has a game that in all facets features brutish strength and power; the latter is more wiry but highly mobile and the more dexterous ball-player.

As Jones watched the weekend’s Premiership games, he could not have missed the performances turned in by England’s three leading contenders at No8. Fortunately, they all looked on form, but he has to make his choice against the background of the rapidly approaching World Cup. In terms of preparation, Jones should be nearing the end of his experimentation phase.

Consider what we, and Jones, already know. Saracens’ Billy Vunipola is a world-class No8, although he has not played like one for nearly two seasons. Some of this is due to the pandemic, and some because he has not played enough top-flight rugby after Saracens’ relegation.

When Jones’s side reached the last World Cup final, Vunipola’s ball-carrying was pivotal. He was the one player who could be relied upon to get the ball over the gain line, and the metres he made after tackles made defences retreat and advanced the offside line.

The difference that makes to an attack is everything. Without it, you have static ball and a set defence; with it, all things become possible against a scrambling defence, which necessarily leaves mismatches, overlaps and space.

Jones has shown loyalty to his leading players; some have said too much. He does not have to abandon players such as Vunipola, but it is time for him to look at either, and preferably both, Exeter’s Sam Simmonds and Harlequins’ Alex Dombrandt.

It did not go unnoticed that Simmonds was considered good enough to be called up for the British and Irish Lions, when he was not an England starter. With him you have far less bulk, but a lot more speed and an eye for a try. He added a couple more to his impressive total on Saturday, but to accommodate his style of play England need greater fluidity.

Simmonds’s forte is not trucking the ball up from a standing start and England’s recent poor form would not have been solved just by his inclusion. The problem of slow ball and too little momentum was down to several players and an overall inability to vary the point of contact.

Whether it is club or international rugby, running straight into set defences, with no variety or questions posed of tacklers, rarely ends in progress. To see Simmonds at his best, England need to use him as the All Blacks used Read, carrying in the wide channels. If they do this, his speed will create problems, but it will require a tactical shift that Jones might not be willing to consider.

When it comes to Dombrandt, Jones has seen him on the field for Quins and up close in England camps. What is unapparent is why Jones sees no place for his mix of abilities. It is said that his physique is not that of a classical athlete, but Vunipola is no different. He does not have Simmonds’s speed but, like the great Dean Richards, it is remarkable that he is always near the action.

Dombrandt’s full range of skills showed in his man-of-the-match performance on Friday against Bristol. His presence over the ball created crucial turnovers, but it was his offloading ability that shone. The one that put Marcus Smith into the clear saw him offer to pass with his right hand and then transfer and pass the ball with his left – sublime.

Offloads are difficult to fashion, especially at international level, where defences are far better and the margins for error much reduced. However, when you make them, even the best defences cannot cope. Any player who regularly makes offloads is likely to be a game-winner and will attract multiple defenders, which leaves space elsewhere – look at New Zealand’s Sonny Bill Williams.

Jones should choose Simmonds and Dombrandt in his match-day squads. We know about Vunipola; it is time to find out about his challengers.

Offloads are difficult to fashion but, when you make them, even great defences cannot cope