Sam Simmonds must prove he is the back-row hunter Eddie Jones craves

For all the obvious progress England have made under Eddie Jones the one area of the team that would still give the head coach some cause for concern is the back row. 

With the countdown to the World Cup beginning in earnest this is the time that Jones would want to be nailing down his first, second and third choices in each position and giving them time to get experience of playing together. Injury and loss of form mean he has been unable to do that.

He has gone with Courtney Lawes, Chris Robshaw and Sam Simmonds against Italy, and while I am confident they will do an excellent job it is a sign of Jones’ difficulties that this is the 11th different back row combination he has picked in England’s last 16 internationals. 

Injuries have played their part, particularly the loss of Billy Vunipola to a knee problem and now a broken arm. The No8 is perhaps the man England can least afford to lose,...