5 Players Who Have Best Chance of England Call-Ups for Summer Internationals
England have the Grand Slam in their pockets and three teams in the last four of the European Champions Cup.
Suddenly, after the despair of the 2015 Rugby World Cup, English rugby is midway through one of its most successful calendar years in quite some time.
Perhaps the biggest test of this new era is yet to come and may well present itself in the shape of Australia.
Runners up in last year's showpiece, the Wallabies lie in wait for head coach Eddie Jones' men as they head down under for a three-Test series this summer.
Jones has already integrated the burgeoning talent of Maro Itoje into his starting lineup and given Jack Clifford a scent of international rugby, but there could be more fresh (or returning) faces earning a seat on the plane this summer.
Let's run the rule over five names who have a strong chance of joining the Six Nations champions' squad.
1. Henry Slade, Exeter
Slade was part of the World Cup squad, but he only played in the final dead rubber against Uruguay. The Exeter man has recovered from the injury that robbed him of the chance to be part of the Six Nations; he has been playing well for the Chiefs.
Slade faces an uphill battle to unseat Bath's Jonathan Joseph from the starting lineup if No. 13 is to be his position, while Owen Farrell was impressive at No. 12.
The ball-playing talents of Slade could be enough to earn a place in the travelling party, where Jones will have the chance to take a better look at what the 23-year-old has to offer.
2. Nathan Hughes, Wasps
Hughes will qualify soon to wear the Red Rose, having served the requisite period of residency in England.
The Fiji-born No. 8 has been one of the form players over the last two Premiership seasons, which has pushed him into the reckoning for a place in the back row.
He went on the record at the end of 2015 about his ambitions to gain England honours, per Sam Peters for the Daily Mail: "I play my rugby here and say this is home for me now," he said. "My main goal this season is Wasps and the long-term goal is to play for England."
3. Sam Underhill, Ospreys
Sam Underhill is technically ineligible playing outside the Premiership, but he is currently a student in Wales and may therefore be treated as a special case, per Sam Peters for the Daily Mail.
His skills as a natural No. 7 have been the focus of much praise this season, and if Eddie Jones still wants to eventually have an openside to the manor born, rather than a quick fix, the 19-year-old could be in with a shout.
4. Thomas Waldrom, Exeter
His advancing years are against him, but Thomas Waldrom’s form for the Chiefs this season has been incredible.
Jones is building a team for 2019, which counts against the 32-year-old, but if injuries or club commitments keep other No. 8 options from joining the tour, then Thomas the Tank would not be a bad replacement.
5. Chris Ashton, Saracens
Saracens' Chris Ashton has returned in fine form from his lengthy ban, and he bagged a well-taken try as the English champions beat Northampton in the Champions Cup at the weekend.
He has expressed his desire to break back into Eddie Jones' plans for this summer, per Jack Miller of the Daily Star.
With a strong finish to the domestic and European campaigns, his club is still waging and could well force the former rugby-league man back into a white shirt.