Six Nations 2020: A week after watching Cirque du Soleil, Eddie Jones is turning England into a circus

A WEEK after they went to watch Cirque du Soleil under the big top, boss Eddie Jones is turning England into somewhat of a circus.

Despite picking a team of misfits to face Ireland — the Red Rose ringmaster still reckons his Six Nations mob are getting back to their World Cup best.

At the end of a mad and muddled week, Jones — who was forced into apologising for creating a bizarre racism row 24 hours earlier — named his most bonkers side to date in a bizarre juggling act.

Fans are scratching their heads ahead of tomorrow’s win-or-bust Twickenham tightrope Test,  as five players out of the starting XV were out of position.

In his most radical and wacky team selection yet, Jones  picked outside centre Jonathan Joseph on the wing.

Elliot Daly — a centre turned winger — at full-back.

Owen Farrell, the captain and fly-half, at inside centre.

Second-row Courtney Lawes in the back row. And openside flanker Tom Curry at No 8. The confusion does not stop there, though.

There are also five second-rows in Jones’ 23-man matchday squad.

Plus three outside centres, two No 7s, two fly-halves and still no recognised Test No 8, with Ben Earl — the Saracens flanker — also being asked to cover for the backs.

One frustrated England punter said: “It’s like the  aftermath of  Christmas sales at a clothes shop. Piles of stuff all over the place.”

Jones’ muddled selection does look even odder when you add  the fact  full-back George Furbank was declared injured with “a long-term groin and hip issue that’s he had for many a year”.

It is obviously nothing to do with the rookie’s questionable ability under the high ball, especially with  Johnny Sexton and Conor Murray in town.

Hours after Northampton’s Furbank was declared unfit, Jones was corrected — and England insisted the 23-year-old was in fact ready to play  and would be staying in camp as injury cover.

Prop Beno Obano and hooker Tom Dunn also remain in camp.

If England were to win at Twickenham and decimate the Six Nations standings,  it could go down as one of Jones’ greatest  victories — given the size of the task they face against Andy Farrell’s joint tournament leaders.

Jones said: “We are really happy with the side. A good forward pack and good backs.

“We were a little bit edgy on Tuesday and Wednesday.

“But yesterday we had a really good run, probably our best training session of the Six Nations.

“It was by far the most intense session we’ve done.

“We’re getting back to our World Cup level. Or even above the World Cup level, whereas at the start of the Six Nations we were 20 per cent below that.

“They’ve been building up. We’ve deliberately taken a more building-into-the-tournament process, because we felt that we needed to get the players right first.

“After the World Cup the players were straight back into rugby. So we felt  we just needed to unload them a little bit before we started loading them again, that is a different approach to normal.”

Uncapped winger Ollie Thorley was sent back to Gloucester, with centre Joseph in the back three for his first ever start as a wide boy.

Jones said: “JJ is one of our best defenders in space,  competent under the high ball with great running skills.

“With the resources we have available, he’s the best guy for that spot.

“We train him at winger a lot — because that’s always been part of the positions  he needs to cover.”

At least, among all the clown-like calls, England do have their fit-again strongman Manu Tuilagi back to try and help keep Ireland’s hands off the Triple Crown.