After Burgess' performance as a 6 on Friday against the Falcons, I can't see him moving back to centre (meaning that I think it's clear he makes much more of an impact as a 6 than he ever did as a 12.) So now he's off the table as a 12. So in my mind the best options are Eastmond, Barritt and Tuilagi. Eastmond offers a lot in attack, and as you said is fully capable in defence aswell. Barritt is a rock in defence, the best defensive centre in England... by quite a long way too. The problem is though, that although he is far from bad as an attacker, he offers far less than Eastmond or Tuilagi. Which brings me onto Tuilagi. In my opinion he's our best bet in 12. Although he usually plays as a 13 he can easily make the transition to 12 and has done previously for the Lions. A combination of him and Joseph could be one of the best in World Rugby, with Tuilagi punching holes in the defence and Joseph running through them.
My first thread I had eastmond down as the number 1 choice but I think if fully fit I think you have to go with manu - jj.
There's not much time til the rwc but this is a partnership that if it works could be one of the best centre partnerships in the world so it has to be tried.
With kyle Eastmond I see him as more.of an impact player. He's someone who can make things happen out of nothing, if we need tries bring him around 60 mins when the opposition are getting tired and let him make the breaks he does.
Bringing on twelvetrees doesn't really do.anything, he's no Brad barritt in defence and he's nothing special in attack.
Most positions now in the backline can be covered by someone else already on the pitch so I think have two different style players on the bench like farrell/eastmond or barritt/cipriani.
You've then got someone who can shore up the defence if needed and you've got your game changer if you need something to happen.
Saying all this it's something Lancaster wouldn't do, he'll stick with twelvetrees bringing him on to not do to much.
Benches are meant to make an impact like our forwards are capable of but for some reason he doesn't always pick backs that do and if he does he doesn't use them, cipriani should been brought on alot earlier in the Ireland game.
Sam Burgess has found his position now he's used so much better in the forwards I hope we don't see him in the centres again.
Does anyone know if he's done any training with the England team on the flank or has it just been in the centres?
I'm not saying he should be in the squad as a 6 I was just wondering.