There is only one constant in selection meetings for England’s U-19s, Lions and senior men’s side. “I sit in on all squad selections - senior level, Lions and U-19,” says Mo Bobat. “I’m able to provide a consistent thread.”

As England’s player identification lead, Bobat is charged with devising the structure to identify prospective England players and build sustained success. It is a long-term role, and yet one simultaneously consumed by the demands of the present. “As a pathway we need to keep trying to identify the players that are most likely to succeed at the highest level and expose them to challenging experiences.”

Since the start of last summer, Bobat has attended all squad selection meetings for the senior side. He does not have a direct voice in selection; instead, his job is “providing information and checking and challenging the process”.

“We're hardwired to have biases,” Bobat notes. He tries to prevent these and encourages selectors to think more deeply. In any scouting or selection meetings, “there's five or six information sources,” he explains. “So if what the scout is saying doesn't match what the reports say, I probe and ask questions. If what the scouts are saying doesn't match what the performance stats are saying, I'll probe again and ask questions.”