Owen Farrell in England squad: 'I struggle to see where he fits,' says Matt Dawson
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Farrell (centre) won his first England cap against Scotland at Murrayfield in the opening match of the 2012 Six Nations
Owen Farrell's inclusion in England's Six Nations squad - despite his not having played any rugby in more than two months - is "strange", says 2003 World Cup winner Matt Dawson.
Farrell has been out with an ankle injury picked up in the 32-15 win over Australia on 13 November.
The 30-year-old is set to make his comeback for club side Saracens against London Irish on Sunday.
"I still struggle to see where Farrell fits," Dawson told BBC Sport.
"He hasn't played since November, not been in any form whatsoever and England are flying on the back of beating world champions South Africa without him in the autumn.
"Farrell's return was inevitable, but a little bit strange for me."
Farrell, who has won 94 England caps, is recalled despite head coach Eddie Jones expressing worries over the match fitness of players who have played more rugby than he has this season.
Elliot Daly and Sam Underhill were left out, with the suggestion they might be involved later in the Six Nations, because of a shortage of game time.
Daly played in Saracens defeat by Gloucester on 8 January, while Underhill is close to a return from a concussion he picked up in action on 26 December.
Jones has 'no doubt' Farrell will play 'really well' in Six Nations
Jones praised Farrell's leadership qualities when asked about his skipper on Tuesday.
"He has the respect of the team, he is a winner, he drives the competitive spirit of the team," he said.
Farrell was deployed at inside centre in the autumn win over the Wallabies, outside rookie fly-half Marcus Smith.
With injury-plagued centre Manu Tuilagi having suffered a set-back in his recovery from a hamstring complaint, Farrell could reprise that role, with Exeter's Henry Slade, Gloucester's Mark Atkinson and Harlequins pair Joe Marchant and Luke Northmore also in the midfield mix.
"We have been talking about the midfield for years with England," added Dawson.
"There have been so many different combinations. It has not been sorted because we rely on Manu Tuilagi too much.
"There are too many ifs and buts over that position, which is a real shame."
Six searching for a first cap
Barbeary, Northmore and Hassell-Collins have all been included as Eddie Jones' revamp of England in preparation for the 2023 World Cup continues
As well as familiar faces like Farrell, Jones' squad includes six uncapped players.
Northmore is joined by Wasps back row Alfie Barbeary, Leicester forward Ollie Chessum, Bath fly-half Orlando Bailey, Northampton back-three operator Tommy Freeman and London Irish wing Ollie Hassell-Collins.
Northmore, 23, has scored 10 tries in 13 appearances for Quins this season, after signing for the club from Cardiff Metropolitan University - the same set-up that produced club team-mate and fellow squad member Alex Dombrandt - in 2018.
Hassell-Collins, who was called up to the England squad last summer without getting any game time, made the second-highest number of clean breaks in the Premiership last season despite Irish finishing ninth.
Barbeary has long been touted as a future England international and a try-scoring performance in Wasps' win over Champions Cup holders Toulouse on Saturday will have strengthened his claims to be involved in England's attempt to regain the Calcutta Cup away to Scotland in their opening match on 5 February.
"The inclusion of half a dozen young, young players who have been pulling up trees for their clubs stands out," added Dawson.
"That's good. I think it is a really nice, evenly balanced England squad from across the clubs which probably means to me that England can create their own way of playing rather than being dominated by Leicester, Harlequins or Saracens."
England's Six Nations fixtures start with a game against Scotland at Murrayfield
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