This is a message from Eddie Jones, to his players. No-one is safe. None of them are immune from the harsh scrutiny of the Test selection process.

Ben Youngs has been more or less untouchable as England's leading scrum-half in recent years and he is closing in on a century of international caps. But his status has not saved him. Jones will no doubt portray this as a rotation exercise, but it will also serve as a jolt for his premier No 9.

It was a tough occasion for Youngs in Paris. England were blasted into submission by France and he was eclipsed by his opposite number, the outstanding Antoine Dupont of Toulouse. The individual comparison was an uncomfortable one for the Leicester veteran.

The official line will be that there is a pressing need for accomplished Red Rose 'finishers' at Murrayfield. Scotland could indeed pose a significant threat and Jones will need the comfort of knowing that he has men of experience and pedigree to guide his team through the last half-hour of what is sure to be a volatile Calcutta Cup encounter.

But Youngs surely won't see it that way. Whatever is said publicly, he won't be doing cart-wheels in private about this development. He has been demoted – replaced by Willi Heinz; the 33-year-old who only came into the set-up last summer, ahead of the World Cup.

This is not a changing of the guard, with a young thruster earning his shot. It is a warning shot to Youngs and the rest. It is Jones' way of proving that glaring off-days will not be tolerated.

It is not just the popular Tiger who has suffered in this reshuffle. Bath lock Charlie Ewels had already been jettisoned from the squad, after starting against the French. 

Joe Marler wore the No 1 shirt in Paris, but he will be watching from the stands in Edinburgh, after being removed from the match-day 23 entirely.

One of the changes to the starting XV was unavoidable, as Manu Tuilagi is injured again so Jones needed someone else to line up at outside centre. In the absence of Henry Slade – another on the casualty list – the promotion of Jonathan Joseph makes sense.

It also makes sense for Mako Vunipola to be back at loosehead prop, after being rested last weekend. England need ball-carriers and the Saracen is one of the best at their disposal.

Courtney Lawes has been consigned to a bench role, which is a harsh switch. The Northampton forward was by no means the worst performer in the Six Nations opener, but his place has at least been taken by a specialist flanker – fellow Saint Lewis Ludlam. The 24-year-old deserves his start after making a positive impact as a replacement five days ago.

Ironically, amid a multitude of changes – including a rare shift to a six-two split among the reserves – two areas of intense debate in the last few days are left untouched.

Jones has ignored the concerns about his use of Tom Curry at No 8. That is where the Sale flanker will be deployed again. And the head coach has retained George Furbank at full-back, after a wobbly debut.

This is classic Jones. He pays no heed to popular opinion. And he makes no room for sentiment. He will tell Youngs that he has to prove himself all over again. Others will heed the message, aimed at all of them.