Perhaps because Opoku-Fordjour doesn’t fit the old tighthead mould, he has also appeared on the opposite side of the scrum.

While he plays tighthead for Sale, he switched to loosehead for England Under-20s, where Gloucester’s Afolabi Fasogbon and Bath’s Vilikesa Sela give England massive depth with three.

The trio were hugely impressive in the team’s age-group World Cup victory in the summer, with a dominance from set pieces dividing France in the final.

They are not the only reasons to be happy.

Harlequins’ 22-year-old Baxter made his Test debut in the summer. Team-mate Nathan Jibulu, 21, is set to put pressure on central contract holder Theo Dan, 23, at hooker.

Northampton’s Tarek Haffar and Emmanuel Iyogun, both 23, are two other promising prospects.

In all, England hope to have a golden generation behind Marler and Dan Cole, who are nearing the end of their careers, and Ellis Genge and Will Stuart, aged 29 and 28 respectively.

West believes that once the transition is complete, Opoku-Fordjour would prefer to return to the tighthead position.

But in modern Test rugby, versatility can be the key that unlocks the next level and a place in a team.

West and Titterrell’s day was different. Replacements were rarer. The specialists stood still. And the set piece was more chaotic.

Images from his playing days provide entertainment, rather than education, to his young charges.

“The guys laugh now when they see the pictures of the games we played,” says West.

“Back then the referee didn’t have much involvement in the scrums; you just got together and moved on.

“There was more impact, a lot more scrums ended up on the pitch and there was a certain amount of brutality involved in that.

“Still, the players now are much bigger and probably stronger than in the past. Nowadays they do totally different things.”

Different styles, but identical destinations. Opoku-Fordjour and the rest are quickly arriving on the international scene and, like the scrum, will require some changes once they are in place.