Fraser Dingwall’s injury-enforced absence from the tour to the Americas has exposed a familiar faultline for England watchers.
An unsettled midfield has been the go-to setting over the past 15 years with only fleeting outbreaks of stability during that period.
Dingwall’s emergence as the sort of reliable ‘glue’ player, who has the handy habit of making everything around him work more efficiently, in the last couple of matches of the Six Nations offered up the likelihood of a run in the England team for the Northampton No 12.
Now it is back to square one.
When Steve Borthwick names his 12 and 13 for the first international against Argentina next week, it will be the 55th different centre combination England have used in Test rugby since 2010.
While injuries – particularly the regular ones to Manu Tuilagi – have played a part in the regular changes, it has also been the case that a succession of England head coaches have struggled with the proliferation of options available to them.
The five specialist centres for this tour are a contrasting mix in terms of Test experience. They have 72 caps between them and Henry Slade has all of them.
When the Premiership consisted of 14 clubs, the sheer multitude of possibilities – even allowing for overseas players filling some clubs’ spots – led to a lack of clarity. Even with 10, Borthwick needs a sizeable sieve to perform all the sifting.
The five specialist centres he has settled on for this tour are a contrasting mix in terms of Test experience. They have 72 caps between them and Henry Slade has all of them.
The pairing to face the Pumas in Buenos Aires in the first Test will consist of Slade plus one of Seb Atkinson, Max Ojomoh, Oscar Beard or Luke Northmore making their debut.
After the consistency of the Henry Slade-Ollie Lawrence run – which, in truth, never totally convinced – it is back to the revolving door.
Slade-Lawrence had what will probably be its final outing against Scotland in the Six Nations.
Then it was Dingwall and Lawrence against Italy. When the Bath centre sustained his season-ending Achilles injury, Borthwick moved Tommy Freeman in off the wing to partner Dingwall against Wales.
So this will be the fourth different combination in as many Tests. Normal service for England’s midfield resumed.
For the non-cap, tour warm-up game against France A last weekend, Slade and Atkinson teamed up.
The 23-year-old Atkinson has come into his own this season at Kingsholm, revelling in Gloucester’s style makeover.
Atkinson was impressive with the ball in his hands, but it was his missed tackle that led to France’s second try from Hugo Auradou.
Still, this represents the most likely duo for Argentina.
England know all about Slade but, notwithstanding Dingwall’s breakthrough, it could be a career-defining opportunity for Atkinson.
On the fringes as an England age-group player coming through at Worcester, the 23-year-old has come into his own this season at Kingsholm, revelling in Gloucester’s style makeover.
Argentina tours that run in parallel to Lions trips have a habit of being used as a testing ground for England midfielders.
Kyle Eastmond won his first England cap in Salta in 2013 on a tour which also gave Luther Burrell his first exposure to international rugby. Alex Lozowski and Piers Francis made their debuts in 2017.
From that list, you will see that the experiments have not always been successful, but it looks like the ball will be in Atkinson’s court.
There is one other interesting left-field option which Borthwick could try instead: Freddie Steward as a No 12.
Sir Clive Woodward put this forward as a potential solution both to the midfield muddle and the question of how to find him a place in a side whose job description for the full-back role has evolved in recent times.
Is Steward a Jamie Roberts in disguise? Instinctively, you would think not. While he has physical presence, he is not renowned for busting open defences.
Borthwick’s move towards a ball-playing No 15 like George Furbank or Marcus Smith as a second playmaker has worked against Steward.
The Leicester full-back won a place in the hearts of England fans after making his debut at 20 with his bravery at the back and brilliance under the high ball but lost his place during the 2024 Six Nations.
He has only started two internationals since.
Woodward’s suggestion of how his 6ft 5in, 16st 12lb frame could best be shoehorned into the side was innovative. Steward did play inside centre growing up and this is the best chance Borthwick will have away from the spotlight to see if the peg fits the hole.
Is Steward a Jamie Roberts in disguise? Instinctively, you would think not. While he has the physical presence, he is not renowned for busting open defences. While he has evolved the attacking side of his game this season at Leicester, his super-strength remains as a high-ball bomb defuser. Why remove the chance for Steward to use that part of his game? Michael Cheika never entertained the thought of converting him at the Tigers.
Steward, though, has said he is open to anything that will enhance his chances of adding to his 36 caps.
If there is any time to try the experiment, it will be over the next three weeks.
The most likely long-term scenario is that a restored Lawrence will line up at No 13 outside Dingwall as England’s first-choice midfield. That has the feel of a proper partnership with Lawrence, who would surely have been a Lion but for his unfortunate injury, the star of the show, served unselfishly by his Saintly support act.
However, if Joe Marchant returns from France to join Sale, he will become eligible again for England next season which would give Borthwick yet another option going forwards. He was England’s first-choice outside centre at the 2023 World Cup.
If Borthwick had one of those police evidence boards with string linking the strands of the investigation together, he would need a second ball.
Then, of course, there is Owen Farrell. Should he make a success of his Saracens return and decide international rugby is still for him then who knows. He played plenty of his Test rugby at No 12.
Choices, choices everywhere.
You do occasionally need to cut Borthwick some slack. If he had one of those police evidence boards with string linking the strands of the investigation together, he would need a second ball.
Selection is his bread and butter – it is what he is rewarded handsomely for – but, in the case of the England midfield especially, it isn’t straightforward.
Over the past generation it rarely has been.
