Fiji-born Nathan Hughes is poised to step into the considerable shoes of Billy Vunipola for Saturday’s Test against the land of his birth if the Saracens No 8 does not recover from the ‘upper body soreness’ that has forced him to step down from training until Thursday.

Hughes, who qualified for England in June on the three-year residency ruling, was slated to start at some point this autumn after coming off the bench in the 54th minute against the Springboks on Saturday, either on one of the flanks as he did when replacing Tom Wood or in his more natural position of No 8.

Vunipola may yet offer Eddie Jones that option and certainly the player himself was eager on Saturday night, after the bruising encounter with South Africa, to perform in each of the three remaining Tests. Much will depend on his response to rest over the next 48 hours.