Borthwick should put faith in this trio

PETER Winterbottom knows a thing or three about our sport, so you would expect him to make some telling points over the course of an hour-long discussion. Which he did, on this paper's podcast just recently.

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And the point that told us the most concerned the disconnect between the things England say they want to do in press conferences, and the things they end up doing on the field.

The long and short of it? Talking the talk about modernising a Jurassic-era attacking game powered for far too long by the rugby equivalent of dinosaur dung amounts to precious little if there is no walking of the walk.

Usually, the debate in this area focuses on the inside back combination. Who plays at 10: a big-booted, game-managing Steady Eddie or a twinkle-toed visionary with ideas cascading from his brain like sweat from his forehead? And who plays at 12: a muscle-bound, one-trick shirehorse, or a more rounded individual blessed with something resembling a skill set?

But this is hopelessly reductive, not just on its own terms - George Ford can threaten defences with ball in hand just as seriously as either of the Smiths who want to strip the No.10 shirt from his back; he just does it in a different way - but also in a wider sense. It takes more than a champion midfield to make a champion team.

As one of the great flankers in the annals of the English game, Winterbottom understands better than anyone the importance of a balanced back row unit. He played in a few of those himself. He also played in some that had the kind of balance associated with Ann Widdecombe on Strictly Come Dancing. Which brings us to the current Red. Rose choices.