He is already on Northampton's books and a regular this season since joining the club after the demise of London Irish. Tom Pearson, capped by England last summer, made his name as a marauding openside flanker, powerful on the charge and strong over the ball, but he has been encouraged, by club and country, to consider giving the blindside a go.
Northampton have been working on his defence and the set-pieces, the lineout especially, to see whether he would fit into the position where Lawes has established himself as a dominating presence.
"I do not know what position I will be playing this season, next season or a few years' time," said the 24-year-old Pearson, who scored a hat-trick against Bayonne on Friday and is in the mix for England's Six Nations squad which will be announced this week.
"I have been doing a lot more lineout work and I have spoken to different coaches about moving to the blindside. I have the scope to put on a bit of weight and as I am one of the heaviest 7s in the league, it would probably mean me becoming a 6. I am not opposed to that and it is a long-term option.
"I have had chats here and there with (England head coach) Steve Borth wick since the World Cup around how I am getting on and what I am working on. He is keen for me to be good in both positions and it helps to be versatile. Blindside is something I would like to do in the coming years, but no one will take the shirt off Courtney."
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