Alastair Hignell column: Form is temporary, but class is permanent. It's one of the great cliches of sport, so obviously true that all we can do is nod our heads in agreement.

But what does it mean? What exactly is form? And what defines class? Those are the questions that will be exercising the minds England manager Martin Johnson and his coaching staff as they decide what changes, if any, to make to their squad before the start of the Six Nations next month.

According to the agreement with Premier Rugby, they are allowed to make five changes to the original squad of 32 on the basis of form, and as many as they like to replace injured players. Although they want to reward players who are performing well for their clubs, they will also want to show their confidence in those they originally selected for the autumn internationals and they'll be absolutely determined to avoid any red herrings thrown up by the press.

The pundits, for instance, are convinced that two of the form players in the country at the moment are full-backs Olly Morgan of Gloucester and Ben Foden of Northampton. But the same experts are widely agreed that the biggest and most unexpected bonus gained by England during the course of the disappointing autumn international series was the emergence of Delon Armitage as a full-back. Johnson and co. won't find it difficult to resist calls for change.

And, by the same token, they are likely to discount the claims of two more form players- Armitage's team-mate and younger brother Steffon, and Chris Robshaw of Harlequins. Steffon's an openside flanker but so too are Tom Rees, one of the better forwards of England's autumn, Bath skipper Michael Lipman, who started against New Zealand in the last match of the series. Robshaw's a blind-side flanker, as are two of England's brighter young talents Tom Croft and James Haskell, both of whom played in the autumn, both of whom could also be said to be in form.

Injuries, however, could not only change the landscape but might also work in England's favour. Rees damaged a knee against Harlequins and is likely to be out of action for some time. Nick Easter, the current England number eight, hurt his back in the same game and also faces a spell on the sidelines. Doubts about their availability could allow the selectors to pick Haskell in what we are told is his favourite position at number eight, and squeeze both Robshaw and the younger Armitage into the squad.

In the process , they might just come up with a better balance in the back-row. For my money, Haskell and Croft are too similar; both prefer the wide open spaces than the dark alleys in which the best blind-side flankers love to operate. Picking them both in the same team, particularly with an openside like Rees and Lipman could leave England vulnerable at close quarters A back-row of Robshaw , Haskell and Lipman, or possibly a rejuvenated Lewis Moody, would give England far more options in the crucial tackle area.

But it's out wide that the selectors will have to be at their sharpest. England – for all the hoop-la surrounding the appointment of new attack coach Brian Smith lacked any sort of cutting edge against Australia, South Africa and New Zealand and, far more worryingly to me, they seemed to lack creativity.

Danny Cipriani was clearly chosen on the class is permanent argument even though he was bound to be rusty after a five-month lay-off with injury. Riki Flutey, was chosen at inside centre because he had some form-albeit from the previous season- while Jamie Noon was picked in England's problem position of outside centre because, in the absence of Matthew Tait, there was no-one else remotely in form.

Tait is still out, but at least one man in the number 13 shirt is putting his hand up. Gloucester skipper Mike Tindall is starting to show the sort of form that helped England to World Cup victory in 2003 and subsequently led England coach Andy Robinson to acclaim him as "the heartbeat of the team" in the post-Woodward era.

Tindall should be re-instated in the England set-up immediately, while Martin Johnson should also find a place for Gloucester's other centre, Olly Barkley. The two former Bath men have the sort of international experience that was so painfully missing from the England side in the autumn. Both are obviously in form. There has never been any doubt about their class.