England fears over Steffon Armitage are a 'copout', says Toulon team-mate Drew Mitchell

The suggestion that including Steffon Armitage in England’s World Cup squad would have a detrimental impact on squad morale was dismissed by Drew Mitchell, his Toulon teammate, who described that line of reasoning as a “copout”.

With Armitage returning to England this week for the Champions Cup final against Clermont Auvergne, the debate over his inclusion shows no signs of abating, even if the parameters of the discussion have shifted.

Few now dispute the openside flanker’s quality as reigning European Player of the Year, an award for which he has again been nominated this season alongs…