Nick Cain compares England’s world beaters of 2003 with Eddie Jones’ current crop
Vunipola has improved as a scrummager to the extent that there is little between him and Woodman. Gloucester loose-head Woodman was one of the fastest Test props England have had, but he does not come close to matching Vunipola's work-rate and carrying skills in the loose – where the Saracens man is number one.
Woodman 7 / M Vunipola 8
2. Steve Thompson v Dylan Hartley
Thompson was a slab of a man, and a powerhouse hooker who was more of a handful in the loose than Hartley, with the mobility and size to trouble any defence. Thompson was not as accomplished a scrummager as Hartley, but at 6ft 2ins and 18st 7lbs he was hard to shift. Nor was his line-out throwing as failsafe, but as an all-rounder he gets the nod.
Thompson 8 / Hartley 6
3. Phil Vickery v Dan Cole
Vickery (6ft 3ins, 19st) regularly lived up to his ‘Raging Bull' nickname, and loved nothing more than England having their backs to the wall on a hostile foreign field. A cornerstone tight-head who – unlike Cole – was also capable of taking off on rampaging runs. He was part of a more dominant, and consistent, England scrum.
Vickery 8 / Cole 6
4. Martin Johnson v George Kruis
What turned Johnson into England's Captain Colossus was his insatiable will to win and non-stop flinty aggression. Kruis has a cussedness about him, and he matches Johnson's athleticism and mobility, but he does not yet have his glowering authority. However, Kruis has the makings of a great line-out jumper, where Johnson was a good one.
Johnson 9 / Kruis 8
Itoje's progress has been nothing short of startling. For a lock of 21 to have the impact he had on England's Grand Slam, and summer tour whitewash of Australia, in his debut international season said it all. Kay was a student of the game, mobile, and an impressive line-out jumper, but Itoje's all-action influence is something else.
Kay 7.5 / Itoje 8.5
6. Richard Hill v Chris Robshaw
Battle of the ‘glue men'. Robshaw's recovery from captaining England through their 2015 World Cup nightmare speaks for his character. His work-rate and tackling matches Hill's, but thereafter the odds are against him. Hill was a multi-faceted flanker with pace and right-place right-time nous Clive Woodward considered indispensable.
Hill 8 / Robshaw 7
7. Neil Back v James Haskell
Back was a great perpetual motion openside, a scything tackler, sneak-thief, and link-man, who played with total disregard for his own safety. Haskell is a blindside who was a buffalo of a 7 during last season's charge to glory, tackling everything that moved, and carrying strongly Down Under – but Back was a real deal 7.
Back 8.5 / Haskell 8
8.Lawrence Dallaglio v Billy Vunipola
Dallaglio was an indomitable force of nature with an unquenchable desire to succeed, and Billy Vunipola is a hefty chip off the same block. Where Dallaglio was a rugged athlete who habitually brought X-Factor presence in attack and defence, Vunipola has had to graft to maximise on his giant strength. Dallaglio shades it, but Vunipola has plenty of growing room.
Dallaglio 9 / B. Vunipola 8.5
9. Matt Dawson v Ben Youngs
Dawson is the master and Youngs the apprentice when it comes to big match temperament and a needle-sharp opportunist streak – but the Leicester man made rapid headway this autumn. However, where Dawson was a constant, consistent threat, Youngs has been prone to dips and troughs – and that is why the world champion gets the nod.
Dawson 8 / Youngs 7.5
10. Jonny Wilkinson v George Ford
Wilkinson is the perfectionist who conquered his demons to rewrite the fly-half manual. He is one of the all-time great goal-kickers and tacklers, as well as a hugely influential player-maker. Ford plays flat to the line, has a great variety of passes, and is gutsy in defence – but he lacks Wilkinson's physicality and is not close as a marksman.
Wilkinson 9 / Ford 7
11. Ben Cohen v Jack Nowell
With 31 tries in 57 Test appearances Cohen is second equal in the list of England's leading try scorers. A big, bustling strike-runner who combined pace with power, and was also an aerial threat, Nowell has a lot of ground to make up. Count on the nuggety Cornishman, who has scored nine tries in 18 Tests, to give it a good go.
Cohen 8 / Nowell 7
12. Will Greenwood v Owen Farrell (below)
Greenwood 8 / Farrell 7.5
13. Mike Tindall v Jonathan Joseph
Joseph is much more of a strike outside-centre than Tindall, who was England's main man in terms of muscular midfield presence during the Woodward era, hammering the ball across the gain-line. In 28 Tests the rapid Joseph has already scored 13 tries, which is only one behind Tindall's tally in 75 Tests – and defensively, like his 2003 rival, he is lock-tight.
Tindall 7.5 / Joseph 8
14. Jason Robinson v Anthony Watson
Robinson remains the most successful cross-over from Rugby League to Rugby Union with his flashing footwork and match-winning flair. He and Watson are both lethal finishers, but ‘Billy Whizz' was also an excellent defender – an area where the young Bath winger can sometimes be too impulsive. Robinson wins this race.
Robinson 8.5 / Watson 7
15. Josh Lewsey v Mike Brown
Anyone who remembers Lewsey cutting Australia's Mat Rogers in half in England's 2003 win in Melbourne knows that Brown is not the only English full-back with bristling aggression. Lewsey was faster and straighter into the line than Brown, but did not have his footwork. Both good in the air and great poachers, but Lewsey's try rate is double Brown's.
Lewsey 8 / Brown 7.5
