Is it time for England to return Courtney Lawes to the second row?

All being well, Courtney Lawes will become a centurion this Saturday at Suncorp Stadium by winning a 95th England cap to go with his five Tests for the British and Irish Lions. 

His pedigree is unquestioned and there is more for him to achieve. But it is a curiosity of the 33-year-old’s fantastic career that his best position has remained a matter of debate. 

Although Lawes has been in fine form as a flanker, England are tottering on the verge of what would be his fourth World Cup and there have been calls for Eddie Jones to invigorate the pack by returning his skipper to lock.  

As ever, there is a trade-off to consider. Where does Lawes have to be for England to function at their best? 

Many England supporters are concerned that a stirring semi-final victory over New Zealand in 2019 will be the best it gets for England under Jones.  

Others are convinced that is the case, and have been for some time – not least because of what happened the following weekend. Jones retained a second-row partnership of Maro Itoje and Lawes and South Africa bulldozed to glory with a monstrous scrummaging effort. 

Dan Cole, an early replacement for Kyle Sinckler at tighthead prop, has been cast as the fall-guy in this piece. It is easily forgotten that Lawes was hooked at half-time. Jones brought on George Kruis in an admission that he needed extra ballast. 

Lawes has not started an international at lock since. Indeed, exploring the pattern of his Test starts is fascinating. He made nine of them between 2010 and 2011, exclusively as a lock. 

Then, in 2013 at Twickenham, he endured a difficult day in the No 6 jersey. James Haskell replaced him after just 50 minutes as England battled back from a Wesley Fofana wonder try to beat France. 

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