England rugby coach Stuart Lancaster will delay making a decision over his captain for the autumn internationals against Australia, Argentina and New Zealand until late this month.
Flankers Chris Robshaw and Tom Wood are competing for the role in what appears to be a straight shoot-out with the forthcoming two rounds of Heineken Cup action key to Lancaster's verdict.
England meet for a pre-autumn training camp in Leeds on October 22nd, and Lancaster sees no need to name his skipper before then.
Lancaster insists the focus on the identity of the captain is misplaced with the senior players who assist him just as important.
He says it's about having a really strong leadership group because it's an outdated model where you have one person who has sole responsibility for everyone.
England enter their autumn schedule, which opens against Australia at Twickenham on November 2, without injured centres Brad Barritt and Manu Tuilagi.
Billy Twelvetrees is in pole position to fill the number 12 jersey while Jonathan Joseph, Joel Tomkins and Henry Trinder are the competing to partner him in midfield.
