CHISELDON’S Jonny May needs to add consistency to his flashes of impromptu brilliance to nail down a starting spot on the England wing, according to World Cup winner Neil Back.

The 25-year-old former Royal Wootton Bassett RFC youth player lit up the international stage last autumn with a sublime solo try against New Zealand, only to lose his form and his place during this year’s Six Nations.

With incumbents Jack Nowell and Anthony Watson impressing in recent months, and the likes of Chris Ashton and David Strettle continuing to press their claims, May is not short of competition to make this year’s World Cup squad.

Yet Back believes May’s searing pace and ability to take on the best defences in the world as shown by that score against the All Blacks suggest he can be a force at international level.

If the Gloucester flyer can improve his defensive work and develop a solid understanding with his fellow back three, Back admits he would have to be an automatic pick for Stuart Lancaster’s World Cup squad.

“For Jonny May’s try versus New Zealand in the autumn, he beats Conrad Smith, the best 13 in the world in both attack and defence, he burns him on the outside and then did Israel Dagg in a metre of space – it was pure brilliance,” said Back, who is chairing the panel deciding on Green Flag’s Forward of the Season competition, with the winner revealed at the Aviva Premiership Rugby Awards on May 20 at the Park Lane Hilton, London.

“But it’s got to be about consistency and he needs to work on his all-round game – if he did something like every time then of course he’d be a shoo-in, but he just did it once and he’s only shone in spits and spurts.

“The back three need to have a good understanding and a great reading of the game and fit into that philosophy that Stuart Lancaster has set down.

“Rugby is a team game and you’ve got to get the people that can finish in but also people that have got a good mentality and consistency for 80 minutes week in week out.

“So Chris Ashton and Dave Strettle may finish off a try but England have got to look at what did they do for the other 60 to 80 minutes they were on the pitch and it’s about finding that balance.

“It really comes down to the character of the player and who’s going to be the right character to deal with the pressure and gives you good all-round options.”

Nowhere was the importance of having wingers who can finish more apparent than on the stunning final day of the Six Nations that saw England fall short of the title after a 55-35 triumph over France.

Yet Back also believes there is a note of caution to be found in that victory, with England’s wingers needing to improve their defence should they face the best Southern Hemisphere sides later this year.

“On that final day the Northern Hemisphere teams finally realised what attacking rugby was – it took until Ireland had to score all those tries for them to run the ball and then Wales and England obviously had to go for it as well,” he added.

“The worrying thing for me about England is ok they score 55 points against France but they conceded 35 and France created so many three-on-two situations but couldn’t finish.

“The top side in this World Cup will not only find that space, but they will finish as well.”

May was on the scoresheet for European Challenge Cup winners Gloucester as they claimed a 35-13 Aviva Premiership victory over London Irish at Kingsholm on Saturday.

Green Flag – proud partner of Aviva Premiership Rugby – has revealed the shortlist for the Green Flag Forward of the Season award. The winner will be announced on 20th May. Follow us @GreenFlagUK or facebook.com/GreenFlagUK – www.greenflag.com.