So you're suggesting he's just box ticking? I tend to agree, the continued ommission of Marcus Smith is a case in point.
It very much looks that way.
Hard to know with Jones. His way of getting the Japan win vs SA and their performance in the RWC 15 was to keep the squad as steady as possible and make them like a club squad. Now he might have been able to do that with Japan but it's rather harder with England. But what he seems to do is keep relying on players - often for too long (Haskell and Robshaw, say) and changing play and players when forced by results. Which is what ended up happening in 2018....
His only aim is winning the RWC - something that has eluded him as head coach and he sees England as possibly his last chance. England always have a chance - just from the number of players its possible to select a decent pack regardless - and that gets you a long way. But that in games in the 6Ns post lockdown and the Autumn Cup, he's not done anything at all "interesting" in selection suggests he wants to keep the England "club" together if that makes the RWC more likely.
I think England are in danger of a post 2003 situation in that the team will be forced to change sue to age and injury and it will be a shock to the players and coach post 2023.
Regarding the players in and out of the squad recently, it's hard to know what benefit there is to them or England. Lawrence got game time - but was virtually alone, and was touted as a Manu replacement. The Pack is "as was" and Youngs. Ford, Farrell, Slade , Watson ,May Daly is pretty much "as was" as well.
Always a Wasp
