England's most-capped player, Ben Youngs, has backed former "rough diamond" Ellis Genge to lead the side in their November international opener against Argentina at Twickenham.
Courtney Lawes and Owen Farrell, two of coach Eddie Jones' more experienced England captains, are both currently recovering from concussions suffered on club duty that have made them doubtful for the match against the Pumas on 6 November.
Neither Lawes nor Farrell has travelled to England's ongoing training camp in the Channel island of Jersey. And while Tom Curry led England in the Six Nations when both British and Irish Lions were absent, there is a growing body of opinion that prop forward Genge, now back at hometown club Bristol, should take over as captain if Farrell and Lawes are unfit to face Argentina -- one of England's pool opponents at next year's World Cup in France.
Scrumhalf Youngs, capped 117 times by England, played alongside Genge at Leicester and is in no doubt of the 27-year-old front-row's qualities. "When Ellis first arrived at Leicester he was a rough diamond.