Now, it's understandable that that Messer Ashton has a headache looking at the upcoming starting XV, but saying that, he's not been looking at the right men.
If I were in his shoes;
1. Andrew Sheridan (assuming he's fit) - A big, powerful lump who's finally learnt how to scrum and always been useful in the loose.
2. Dylan Hartley - Yes, he will have had a long time out because of that little incedent helping Worsley remove an eyelash, but over the last season there hasn't been a better, 'ahem', English Hooker. As a second best, ***terall is a very similar player.
3. John Brooks - Spent over 18 months at Bedford and in New Zealand tearing scrums apart and hasn't made a single mistake during the Churchill Cup. Highly under-rated player.
4. Lewis Deacon - Agile, Tall, Tough as a Brick Shithouse... D'arrl do.
5. Ben Kay - In the form of his life and the keystone of Leicesters dominance of set pieces this year. Plus having a world cup winners experience in there can never hurt.
6. Nick Easter - On the road to becoming the best back row forward in the country.
7. Magnus Lund - The only true number 7 in England even remotely good enough for the international stage.
8. Dan Ward-Smith - Before his knww injury was guaranteed the no. 8 shirt, and should still be a certain. If not though, Forrester and Haskell may have a lot of hard work on their hands being starter players.
9. Peter Richards - ******** to what Dewi Morris says, neither Ellis nor Perry is not, I repeat, NOT, the outstanding Scrum Half in the Guinness Premiership, this man is. If he's injured, use Danny Care.
10. Shane Geraghty - Watching him play makes me think of a young Carlos Spencer only with pace. Enough creativity to win a game on his own and his England debut showed he's not intimidated by the big stages.
11. Chris Ashton - Maybe a gamble, but he's converting to union before the World cup and is big, fast and skillful enough to compete with the worlds best wingers.
12. Anthony Allen - The best 12 in the country by a (west) country mile.
13. Mathew Tait - Still a long way off being the finished article, or the next Brian O'Driscoll for that matter, but has come on leaps and bounds over the last 12 months and will suit Ashtons running game much more then Tindall. Should cause many defences problems.
14. Jason Robinson © - Can create a score from nothing and leads by example. He could get into many peoples all time XV.
15. Danni Cipriani - Wasps wonderboy has a great future ahead of him. Great under a high ball, agile, extremely quick and has a howlitser connected to the end of his right leg.