Ireland are without Paul O’Connell through a knee injury yet Archer still sees locks Donnacha Ryan and Donncha O’Callaghan as a world-class unit.

But he says Parling is more than capable of putting the squeeze on them in the lineout and around the park.

Archer won 21 caps for England between 1996 and 2000 and knows Parling from his time at Newcastle Falcons.

For one season in 2003 the pair were club-mates and it was Archer who kept Parling out of the team.

But Parling’s apprenticeship under Archer served him well and after moving to Leicester in 2009 he has gone on to gain four caps of his own - all in this year’s Championship.

“I know Geoff very well,” said Archer.

“In my last season at Newcastle I had a back problem and he was my personal travelling reserve.

“He’s a good lad and exactly what England need against a world class Irish pair, even without O’Connell.

“The problem with the second row is that it’s hard to find a balance.

“You need one machine of a guy who’s going to work like a dog all day long and that’s Geoff and I think he can challenge the Irish lineout too.”