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England's injury crises has been rugby's hot topic for several weeks now, but Oval Talk thinks it could work in Martin Johnson's favour, especially if he hands a debut cap to the likes of Courtney Lawes.

Johnson has had to make 11 changes from his previous elite squad due to injury, and as a result England fans will be forced to adjust their expectations. So why not use the opportunity to see whether one of the country's finest prospects can reproduce his superb club form at Twickenham?

The young Saint (pictured) has been outstanding this season and anyone who witnessed Northampton's thrilling win over Celtic League champions Munster will have been left wondering who the Lions locks on show were: Lawes, or opposite numbers Paul O'Connell and Donncha O'Callaghan?

Lawes was a revelation against the Irish province and was at it again in the Guinness Premiership victory over Sale last weekend.

The Northampton-born Saint may be only 20 but he has shown on more than one occasion that he has the talent to light up the international stage.

It has been suggested that Johnson will be reluctant to introduce Lawes too early, that he doesn't want to make the same mistake former England coach Andy Robinson made with Matthew Tait.

But there is a difference, a big difference. Lawes is a big man and has shown that he can handle the physical intensity of European rugby, which many claim is almost on a par with the international game.

Lawes embraces his physical duties at Northampton, while Tait has always had to rely on his quick feet and pace to trouble opponents.

Furthermore, Tait's failure to hold down a starting spot for England since his debut in 2005 suggests that it was not only his age that made his introduction to international rugby one to forget.

For the record, Lawes is 6' 7, weighs in at nearly 18 stones and has the speed to worry opponents in both attack and defence. How many other locks in memory have been able to chase kicks-offs with the same relish and effectiveness as Lawes?

None that come readily to mind and certainly not England skipper Steve Borthwick or Louis Deacon, the likely second-row partnership for the opening game with Australia.

Now OT is actually an admirer of Borthwick and thinks the Saracen gets a mostly unfair press. But if you wanted someone to disrupt the opposition with the ferocity of their tackling and take the ball into contact at real speed, then his name does not automatically spring to mind.

Nor that of Deacon. Both are steady, seasoned pros, but do they have the ability to turn a game with a piece of magic? In a word, no.

Lawes, on the other hand, does, and is just the type of player the Wallabies, Springboks and All Blacks would nurture expertly from a young age. If you're good enough, you're old enough.

Johnson has two years to fashion a side capable of challenging for the 2011 World Cup in New Zealand. England's best lock at the moment is the injured Simon Shaw, who is almost certain to have retired by then. So why not start looking for his replacement immediately and give Lawes a chance this autumn?

Terence O'Rorke / Eurosport