You can’t underestimate how big a loss Manu-dona is for England

You might say Marcus Smith is more blessed with the hands of god but when I think about Manu Tuilagi and how he is so often billed as England’s saviour I cannot help but think of someone like Diego Maradona. Manu-dona if you will. Maybe it’s a nickname that works better for Maro Itoje but there is no one else in the England setup for whom there is almost a messianic vision whenever he is fit to play.

I was reflecting after the autumn how we had seen Smith, Tuilagi and Henry Slade start together for less than 10 minutes and now they haven’t even made it to the start line. First and foremost it’s a monumental disappointment for Tuilagi himself, having fought back from injury, but he has been here before and he will get himself in the right frame of mind to come back later in the tournament.

You also can’t underestimate how keenly his absence will be felt in the squad and not just because they’ve lost one of their best baristas. He’s an incredibly popular player and he is one of the best gainline players in the world. Put simply, his sheer presence on the field breeds confidence around him.

I expect Joe Marchant to come in and that represents both a challenge and an opportunity for him. A challenge because he left the England camp on Tuesday and spent the rest of the week preparing to play on the wing for Harlequins at Worcester. Adapting to what he will now face is tough but it is an opportunity: no disrespect to Worcester, but as a former player I know where I’d rather be. It helps that he is a very intelligent rugby player as well. He has the skills to cope, he just needs to embrace the challenge if Eddie Jones does hand him the starting jersey.

That would mean a shift to inside-centre for Slade but maybe the player