Whilst I too would prefer to have young, non-residency qualified talent given opportunities, I think we have seen enough from Jones to feel comfortable that he has a clear succession plan at most positions (perhaps 9 excluded).
With that in mind, I would rather we got a fantastic 18 months out of an "out-of-the-box" 28-35+ year old player, than invest in a great developmental prospect for RWC 2023. To date, this has been a null point, as most players that have fallen into this category have either been no better than the younger alternatives or they do not fit Jones's mold for their given position.
Rhodes, on the other hand, may be a different story. He provides Jones with the "lock-like" presence at 6, but plays more like a flanker masquerading as a lock rather than reverse (which is how I see Itoje and Lawes). He's a more dynamic carrier than either Itoje/Lawes, destructive tackler, good line out operator and has a solid impact at the breakdown (~=Robshaw).
Given the chance I feel like he could be the missing piece for the back row...
Note: Haven't seen enough of Shields to comment on his impact. He looks to be a similar type of player, slightly quicker, slightly less physical.
