New Zealand Hartley set to be named England captain- by Australian Coaches Jones

Northampton hooker Dylan Hartley is the front runner to succeed Chris Robshaw as England's Six Nations captain with an announcement due on Monday.

Hartley is new head coach Eddie Jones' first choice and he will get a chance to prove his fitness in Saturday's Champions Cup clash with the Scarlets following a spell out with concussion and a rib injury.

Jones is due to reveal his choice of captain after speaking to senior players at the squad's Surrey training camp.

If Hartley comes through the final European group game unscathed, the path will be clear for him to fill the post held by Robshaw for the past four years.

Hartley missed hosts England's woeful World Cup campaign after former coach Stuart Lancaster dropped him from the squad on disciplinary grounds.

Jones confirmed that World Cup winner Jonny Wilkinson and former Australia flanker George Smith will perform informal unpaid coaching roles with England during the Six Nations.

Wilkinson will offer kicking guidance while Smith, the test centurion and specialist openside, will provide advice to England's back rows on the breakdown.

"With both of them it's a very informal relationship. They will come in and help the players at various times," said Jones, who gave Smith his first cap in 2000 when he was acting as Wallabies coach.

"George will definitely come in next Wednesday to help the back rowers. But it's very informal. He's not a coach as such, he's doing it out of friendship.

"He's one of the best defence breakdown forwards in the world. He will help our aspiring No 7s.

"George takes the breakdown work very seriously. He has done a lot of work on skill development at the breakdown.

"George is a lovely guy. I'll have to buy him a few beers further down the track, though. He's not getting paid for it, definitely not. I'll buy Jonny a sparkling mineral water."

Jones has so far recruited Steve Borthwick and Paul Gustard as his assistants, but expects his backroom staff to be completed in time for the June tour to Australia.

 ...was also reading how...Jones has called on the services of former Wallabies flanker George Smith to work with his forwards on an informal basis ahead of his first match in charge against Scotland in next month’s Six Nations opener....

...amazing how for a country that invented the game and a team that is favourites to win the 6Nations they need so much help from outsiders...then again they've always looked to the colonials in times of need to save them...

...was only just recently reading about the Spring Offensive of 1918... when the Germans had the temporary advantage in numbers afforded by the nearly 50 divisions freed by the Russian surrender so they attacked on March 21  and put British Fifth Army in full retreat...

..was grim times and Field Marshal Sir Douglas Haig, issued an "Order of the Day" on 11 April stating, "With our backs to the wall and believing in the justice of our cause, each one of us must fight on to the end."

...So it was the NZ and Australian Divisions that came to the rescue plugging the gaps in the line and saving the day...great story that..

 ....time of reckoning for Eddie Jones as well...

...Go Scotland...a couple of kilted Kiwis in the team as well... I see the bookies have narrowed the odds somewhat ...