Anthony Watson is set to return to the England squad this week and could be fit to feature in their Round 4 Guinness Six Nations clash at home to Wales.
The full-back is yet to play in the 2020 Championship because of a calf injury but is set to link up with Eddie Jones’ squad for a three-day training camp in Oxford this week.
If fit, Watson will add further competition for places and could challenge Elliot Daly for the No.15 jersey against Wales.
Daly moved from wing to full-back for the 24-12 win against Ireland on Sunday but could switch back to the wing to accommodate Watson.
“Anthony’s got to do a running session and if he gets through that we’ll get him into camp,” Jones said.
England sit second in the Championship table, four points off leaders France ahead of the final two games.
However, they will likely be without Mako Vunipola once again, with the prop still in Tonga for family reasons.
Vunipola missed the win against Ireland, with Joe Marler taking his place in the side, and Jones said he is unlikely to return to England before the Round 4 match at Twickenham.
The 29-year-old will be a big miss but England’s pack were excellent against Andy Farrell’s side, with the power of lock Maro Itoje and flanker Courtney Lawes carrying the hosts to victory.
And Jones hailed Itoje in particular, insisting that the more teams try to disrupt him, the better he is.
“Maro’s been through that and that’s what normally happens with a second year player – they work out what you are good at and then try to take it away from you,” he said.
“He’s been through that process and now they can go at him. The more they go at him, the more it distracts them from their game.
“The thing I like about Maro is that he has a real growth mindset, he really wants to keep improving.
“And he sees it as a real important part of his game, not only being that physical, menacing type player but also being a guy that can influence others to play well. That was quite evident against Ireland.
“We see the way he relates to his fellow players, the way he communicates, the way he gets more out of the players around him. We are seeing that more and more.”
