Jeremy Guscott: Time for some more Maros to step up in the Test arena

One player’s misfortune is another’s opportunity and this week in Portugal Eddie Jones will be running the rule over who will form his new-look second row partnership to tackle the Springboks.
While it is bad luck for Maro Itoje, George Kruis, and now potentially Courtney Lawes after missing Saints game with a knee injury, Jones must replace the partnership that had become almost irreplaceable over the past 12 months. Not only have the Sarries duo Itoje and Kruis quickly become first team regulars, they have come in and increased the standards across the board – especially fitness.
They are both at the very top of world rugby in those stakes and first and foremost, Jones must find two guys who can match that physicality and intensity for such sustained periods as the two young Saracens.
The main contenders will be Wasps’ Joe Launchbury and one of Bath duo Charlie Ewels and Dave Attwood or Sale‘s Josh Beaumont. All four go to Portugal tomorrow for a training week with England designed to be the final examination ahead of November 12.
To my mind, it matters little who Jones decides on – they have all been part of the wider set-up and although new coaches bring fresh ideas, they will not be daunted by the England environment and should be able to produce their own games without added pressure. They know the shape, calls and procedure so there should be no drama.
Ewels is clearly a Jones favourite having been selected in the EPS ahead of two more senior guys, Attwood and Slater, having impressed in his transition year from being England U20s captain in 2015 – the year after Itoje.  While the rise of Itoje has been nothing short of remarkable this last year, it wasn’t so long ago everybody was hailing Joe Launchbury as one of the world’s best second rows. I thought he had a good chance of being named skipper when Jones took over.
Injuries have not helped his cause, but Launchbury looks leaner and fitter than last year and his selection would not weaken any side in the world. Who partners him is the question for me. The big loss – rather than any one individual – is the combined experience of the Test arena, especially when James Haskell’s absence is brought into picture. You simply can’t replace experience – but what you can do is discover another Test animal such as Itoje, who after just a few games showed signs of a seasoned Test veteran. And that may, again, be where Ewels and Beaumont have the upper hand as complete Test novices.
The other player to bring into the forward mix, who looks like he could have a similar impact on the Test scene as Itoje, is Wasps No.8 Nathan Hughes. He was close in my opinion last season to being named Premiership player of the year for his massive contribution in the Wasps effort and mixed it with the best No.8s in the competition. He’s a ferocious ball-carrier who likes to make breaks and score tries, plus he has the skills and timing to offload accurately. He and Billy Vunipola together in the back row would look pretty imposing to the Boks.
Tom Wood has been brought back into the mix but I could see Chris Robshaw switching to No.7 to do a job instead of the Saints man. Wood may be an unsung hero, but unlike Robshaw, I don’t see him making enough big carries, tackles or turnovers to warrant a start. Nothing has stood out for me apart from his long hair and he needs to be recognised for more than that. It’s hard to know what’s gone wrong – from being captain material a few years ago, he is either just not having the same impact that he used to, or others have upped their game and are making more of an impression.
In key selections, I’d like to see Jones opt for the better attacking option – who will add more to the team in way of explosive ball-carriers, who can impose themselves more on the opposition. Good defence is largely about having the right mind-set as it’s the first skill taught to any young player. Good attack is much more difficult. And then to be able to synch up with two or three other minds and be on the same wavelength to offload is a very hard skill to master.
Tight ball-carriers are crucial to opening up the space out wide and having two genuine monsters in Vunipola and Hughes should bring its rewards. Not since before Lewis Moody have England had a genuine No.7, and there isn’t one still at Test standard, so I’d put Robshaw in the shirt again as he has always performed well in it. And like Haskell, will perform a role, not define it. When he was being selected to play openside for England, Robshaw was consistently up there with the best in the Premiership and I’d back him to do a good job against the Boks.
Eddie Jones has seen his contenders play in Europe from a distance these last couple of weeks  and now he gets to see up close who is ready to step up and put an end to this miserable record against South Africa. It’s time. And it looks like these Springboks are there for the taking.