Don’t pick Steffon Armitage for England, says Nick Easter

Steffon ArmitageNick Easter is a fully paid-up member of the Steffon Armitage fan club but is not clamouring for the openside to be given an recall.
A man-of-the-match performance for in last weekend's Heineken Cup quarter-final has seen the issue of Steffon, who won his last cap in February 2010, returning to the England fold.
Easter, however, who played alongside Armitage in each of his five England appearances, believes the 28-year-old should be over- looked until he returns to the to face et al regularly.
He said: “The rules are there for a reason and you need to stick by them. I think it's a very good thing that there's something in place for England to keep their best players here.
“He made the choice to go to Toulon but you want to see him playing against the likes of Chris Robshaw every week, see how he measures up on a consistently, week-in week-out basis and then maybe give him a chance.”
Former flanker Armitage proved the difference, even in the more unfamiliar No.8 jersey, last Sunday, his work at the breakdown – he has made the most turnovers in the Heineken Cup this season – ultimately proving 's undoing.
And as a result, former players and coaches such as Will Greenwood and Sir Clive Woodward have been beating the drum for an England recall while ex-Wales flanker Martyn Williams called it “as good a back row performance as you will see”.
The benefits of the EPS agreement are manifold but England's refusal to pick overseas-based players is chief among the downsides and while ‘exceptional circumstances' provides with a loophole, forwards coach Graham Rowntree this week admitted he is highly unlikely to use it.
And Easter fears that picking Armitage would set a dangerous precedent – pointing to the ongoing situation across the Severn Bridge.
He added: “You have the system for a reason. You look at in 2011. Dan Carter went down and they could have called on Nick Evans here at Quins but they didn't, they stuck to their principles and called on Aaron Cruden.
“When he got injured, they turned to Stephen Donald and he ended up kicking the winning penalty and I don't think Nick Evans ever really came close to a look-in.
“Then you look at the situation in Wales and what's happening there now with so many of their internationals leaving for and what it's doing to the national team.
“You don't want that to happen to England and the agreement in place serves its purpose at preventing that.”
After the Six Nations it is hard to find fault with the balance Robshaw, Tom Wood and provide in England's back row.
Armitage, meanwhile, has been turning out at the base of the scrum for Toulon since the New Year and at 5ft 9in, he is a somewhat different proposition to 20st Vunipola.
Easter, however, still sees Armitage as the out-and-out seven – even when wearing No.8 – that Lancaster readily admits he craves.
“He performed incredibly well, I think the way he performs at the breakdown is pretty much unrivalled and he was extremely effective, as he has been ever since he went to Toulon,” said Easter.
“I think it's a bit deceptive him playing at No.8, you have Juan Martin Fernandez Lobbe and Juan Smith in the back row and they do the carrying.
“And that allows Steffon to get in at the breakdown and do what he's good at, getting over the ball and winning turnovers. He's very dexterous with the ball in hand as well and again he showed that last weekend.”
Easter, himself, remains available for England selection but Lancaster admits age is the main barrier and as a result, the 35-year-old is living his international career vicariously through Quins' Red Rose quartet of Mike Brown, Chris Robshaw, Danny Care and Joe Marler.
“It's fantastic to have them back, of course it's great to see them doing it for England and they have shown their quality in the last couple of matches,” he added.
“At this time of year we're still in the hunt on two fronts and that's what you want. The top four in the Premiership is out of our hands but we never lack for belief that we can do it at Harlequins.”
GERARD MEAGHER

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