Bath openside Sam Underhill has been doing all that he can at England’s weekend training camp to persuade Eddie Jones he is the man to help to fix the team’s problems at the breakdown, declaring himself eager to start against France in Paris on Saturday.

England name their side on Thursday for the trip to the Stade de France. The England head coach has selection issues to ponder following the 25-13 loss to Scotland.

Jones insists that the difficulties experienced in defeat at Murrayfield were of a collective nature, but there is little doubt that England have yet to establish anyone in the No 7 shirt to take the side through to the World Cup in Japan. If the loss to Scotland was a jolt, then it could also prove an opportunity if Underhill’s promotion from the bench was to be the springboard towards a more long-term casting in that position.

That has certainly been Jones’ intent, only for injury to compromise his desire to test Underhill, as well as Sale’s Tom Curry. The pair were blooded on last summer’s tour to Argentina, winning their first caps, with Underhill getting the nod into the autumn when Curry was sidelined by injury. The Bath flanker started against Argentina at Twickenham in November and Australia seven days later, only to come off early in that game with concussion, a blow that kept him out for several weeks.