sport news I’m not convinced by Eddie Jones' decision to pick Ben Te'o and Manu Tuilagi ...

I'm not convinced by Eddie Jones' decision to pick midfield monsters Ben Te'o and Manu Tuilagi against Italy Eddie Jones has selected Manu Tuilagi and Ben Te'o for England to face Italy  The sizeable midfield partnership looks good on paper but may struggle to gel The decision to drop Henry Slade is very harsh as he has impressed so far

By Sir Clive Woodward for the Daily Mail

Published: 22:34 GMT, 7 March 2019 | Updated: 22:36 GMT, 7 March 2019

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England supporters will be seriously excited by Eddie Jones' heavyweight backline - but I am not sure Ben Te'o and Manu Tuilagi will strike the same fear into the Italians.

A lot of people will look at this selection and think 'wow' due to their sheer size but I am not convinced. It looks good on paper but, how good are these guys offensively and defensively?

I did chuckle when I saw the team. I remember a phrase Eddie used when speaking with him about backlines and how to beat the All Blacks.  

Manu Tuilagi has started all of England's Six Nations games so far

Ben Te'o has returned after injury and will make his first appearance of this Six Nations campaign

Manu Tuilagi (left) and Ben Te'o will partner each other in midfield for England against Italy

Talking about our respective wingers when we coached England and Australia - Ben Cohen and Wendell Sailor - he said: 'I'd always choose a good big 'un over a good little 'un'. It's a line I have never forgotten. 

Eddie has certainly stayed true to that by picking Te'o, Tuilagi and Joe Cokanasiga. This selection has Eddie's and defence coach John Mitchell's fingerprints all over it - they like big, powerful men.

Eddie was really annoyed with Italy when they came to Twickenham two years ago with their 'no-ruck' tactic. It made him and his team look a bit foolish.

There were those images of Dylan Hartley and James Haskell asking referee Romain Poite the laws and he came

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