On the defensive Edwards is the man to fill England's void and the RFU should hire him at any cost

At the Rugby Football Union they like a project. Planning for a successor to Eddie Jones was known as "Project Everest" while the Six Nations' move to aggregate broadcasting rights was billed as "Project Light", and it does not take a degree in management speak to figure out who came up with that.

- Gerard Meagher

As Steve Borthwick's backroom staff dwindles, you suspect those in power at Twickenham will be trying to come up with another. Despite promising strides by England during the Six Nations and smaller steps on the summer tour of New Zealand, the RFU is again in a state of disarray, as the governing body and the Premiership prepare to unveil the new Professional Game Partnership next month.

The departure of Aled Walters as head of strength and conditioning was a blow. It was compounded by the fact another long-serving strength and conditioning coach - Tom Tombleson - had already left, exacerbated because one of the most significant aspects of the PGP is it gives England greater say over their players' strength and conditioning, and magnified because Walters has been poached by Ireland. It can be explained on grounds that Walters's wife is Irish, he spent six years with Munster and the pull of working with Andy Farrell proved too great. However, the news of Felix Jones's resignation over the weekend cannot be described as anything other than a disaster.