Boks boss Heyneke Meyer sees Dan Cole as England's major weapon © Getty Images

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Players/Officials: Dan Cole | Heyneke Meyer

Teams: England

Prop Dan Cole has been hailed as one of England's most destructive weapons and coach Stuart Lancaster has been urged to build his side around a player rated as "very close to being the best tight-head in the world" by South Africa boss Heyneke Meyer.

The Leicester lynchpin caught Meyer's eye throughout 2012 - a year that included an intense three-Test series against the Springboks in the summer and closely-fought clash last month - and the Boks' boss, who coached Cole at the Tigers during a six-month spell at Welford Road four years ago, has nothing but praise for his former charger.

"Dan Cole is very close to being the best tight-head in the world and I think he can go on to become that. I really rate him," Meyer told the Daily Express. "What makes him such a great player is that as well as being a great scrummager, he is one of the best ball stealers I have seen. He really gets around."

Cole, 25, has missed only one of England's past 36 Tests and will be an automatic selection for the Six Nations if he can maintain his form and fitness with his next outing set to come in the Tigers' Premiership clash with Gloucester this weekend.