Lewis Moody backs Chris Robshaw as England captain

“He’s like Richard Hill in many ways – you wouldn’t say he was the best in the world at any one thing, but he was the complete package and his all-round skills completed the team. Players like him and Chris make everyone else look good because they have done the hard yards.”

Robshaw may not have the fetching skills of the current greats, two of whom he will come up against this autumn – Michael Hooper, man of the match when Australia won at Twickenham last time, and the incomparable Richie McCaw of New Zealand. But no matter, argues Moody.

“Apart from Neil Back, England have not had a specialist openside in years,” he said. “Matt Kvesic is the closest we have to one now and he is putting pressure on Robshaw in terms of selection.

“But it’s the way we play the game. It’s like France, or South Africa – they use left and right rather than blind and open and it’s worked for them well enough.

“Take Australia’s David Pocock. He is one of the best over the ball, but what about around the rest of the park? With Chris, or South Africa’s Francois Louw, you get ability with the ball in hand, multi-taskers who can benefit a team even more. It has to be what works as a nation.

“There is pressure on Chris’s position, but his performances have always answered his critics. And I am sure that he will use the disappointment of missing out on the Lions to spur himself on.”

And with Robshaw in Moody’s team as a flanker, he would have no hesitation in naming him captain, having witnessed his growth alongside coach Stuart Lancaster, who gave him the job along with his second cap in his first game in charge.

“The captain has to be one of the best players on the pitch and he has to have the respect of his players, which Chris has,” said Moody.

“As a captain your first job is to perform. It’s very easy to forget that – but Chris has not. He has led by example, just like Martin Johnson used to.

“You learn the rest on the job – handling referees, decision-making. You learn constantly.”

Lewis Moody backs Chris Robshaw as England captain