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Martin Johnson announced his senior elite player squad this morning, from which England's team for the 2009 RBS Six Nations will be drawn, and I have to say that the names did not exactly spring off the page of the press release to persuade me that happy days are here again. We shall see.

Perhaps the most interesting name was that of Ben Foden, the Northampton Saints back whose electric recent performances make him a worthy selection. Yet he is from a breed that I view with grave suspicion - the utility player.

It is not his fault. Foden has always been a scrum half but, during his career with the Sale Sharks, his coaches found that his pace and verve and attacking abilities found a decent home at full back. Indeed, Sale hardly ever played him in his favourite position.

He then moved to Northampton and the story then was that he wanted more time in his proper position. Again, if that is what he wanted, he has been frustrated. Last Saturday, he played superbly at full back for Northampton in their significant win over Leicester.

Utility players fall between as many stools as there are positions to fill. Austin Healey never really found his proper position because his talents fitted into so many jersey numbers. Ultimately, this caused him grief. Granted, coaches liked him and liked to have him on the bench because he could fill in anywhere.

Foden must now be very careful. Even Johnson was undecided this morning when discussing Foden, merely saying that he could play well in two positions. He even hedged his bets when he was asked what Foden's best position was. How the poor lad must be wishing that he'd never showed such dexterity.

Where will he end up, and how badly will his career be affected by indecision, both his own and that of his coaches? Frankly, if I were Foden I would stick to full back. The problem with scrum half is that because it is so unique and so technical a position, and involves learning a whole barrage of different calls, that it is almost impossible to keep popping back now and again.

People hint that his scrum half skills are not of the very highest order, something borne out by the fact that Sale always chose Sililo Martens and Richard Wigglesworth ahead of him. Scrum half skills are bound to fall into disuse when they are not being used so it is understandable if Foden's have receded.

If he is going to be a scrum half, he may need patience because neither Northampton nor England are going to pick him there most of the time, as things stand.

He is a wonderful player, with superb confidence and talent, and it seems to me that he has an experience and a daring about him well in advance of his years. Ben, please decide on your position now, and give it two hard seasons in that position. Otherwise, you will find that falling between the stools could give you a nasty bang on the head.

Townsend Turning