By Luke Baker, Sportsbeat

BILLY Twelvetrees is not the answer to England’s midfield conundrum according to World Cup winner Lewis Moody.

The Gloucester skipper was England’s No.12 for all of last year’s autumn internationals and the entirety of this year’s Six Nations.

His midfield pairing with Luther Burrell looked like it was beginning to bear fruit when Wales were put the sword at Twickenham but a chastening time in New Zealand this summer means Stuart Lancaster is no nearer to cementing his centre pairing.

Twelvetrees was dropped from the matchday squad for England’s last Test against the All Blacks but, with Luther Burrell and Manu Tuilagi both struggling with injury, he might have earned a stay of execution.

But according to 2003 World Cup winner Moody the 25-year-old, who has won 14 international caps, has had more than enough opportunities to see if he is England’s answer at inside centre. “Billy really controls a game well and he’s taken his chances in an England shirt, so I think he deserves to be in the squad,” he said.

“But he’s not the future going forward for England – I think he’s a short-term solution. However Stuart knows that Billy will do a job for him if he’s needed and there’s value to that.

“It’s a similar situation to Brad Barritt – neither of them are the answer but they are secure, solid players who can do a job.

“But that’s maybe what Stuart needs in this first game against the best team in the world. New Zealand will be coming up against them and not holding back.”

Twelvetrees’ Cherry and Whites teammate Jonny May is also included in Lancaster’s squad for the autumn internationals against the All Blacks, South Africa, Samoa and Australia.

Like Twelvetrees, May was a mainstay during the Six Nations but found himself jettisoned during the tour to New Zealand and Moody insists that the 24-year-old must straighten up his running lines to make an impact at the top level.

“Jonny May has a tendency to run sideways too often for my liking,” he added. “You can work around it and deal with it at club level but at international level you can end up 20 metres back behind the gainline and you simply can’t afford that.

“You’ve got Anthony Watson who has had a great start to the season as well, so it will be fascinating to see who Stuart goes with on the wing.”

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