Jones faces familiar England midfield conundrum

LONDON : The news that Owen Farrell will miss the entire Six Nations with an ankle injury has given Eddie Jones a midfield selection headache, though it is one he, and every England coach since the 2003 World Cup, is very familiar with.

England's triumph 19 years ago against an Australia team led by Jones featured a world class centre partnership of Mike Tindall and Will Greenwood, who dovetailed superbly in the hole-puncher/space finder template that almost every team subsequently has sought to emulate.

England's best midfield since then has generally been Manu Tuilagi and "anyone else" but with Tuilagi also out with yet another injury Jones cannot keep basing his plans around him and has some difficult choices to make for the Six Nations and next year's World Cup.

Since taking over in 2016 Jones has tried more than 20 midfield combinations. In the last couple of years he has leaned towards using Farrell at inside centre, usually outside George Ford, with a variety of options at 13.

That was his plan for this championship, with Farrell providing a "stable influence" for international rookie Marcus Smith, which would give him something of a free hand to continue selecting a "footballer" such as Henry Slade at 13.

Farrell's absence will cause a rethink. Smith is at his best for English champions Harlequins with the force of nature that is South African Andre Esterhuizen outside him and should Jones want to try to replicate that set up he has a player in a similar mould in the shape of Mark Atkinson.

Jones gave the 31-year-old his only cap to date as a replacement against Tonga in November but he probably looks a long shot for the World Cup and consequently perhaps moves down Jones' pecking order.

"We may move Sladey (Henry