Interesting article, but doesn't really tell us anything we don't already know about the situation at hooker.
In the build up to 2019, I think we need to pick a core group of 5 hookers at the most. Only 2 are going to feature in any given match and we don't want to be in a situation where we we're sharing out a handful of caps across several players. For me that's the 4 in the current EPS, possibly with Youngs as an experienced back-up. It's not that the outside shots like Walker and McGuigan should be dismissed altogether, but that's where the Saxons should come in IMO and if I were Thacker or Neild (both name-checked in the article), I'd concentrate on playing in the back row.
George seems to have been earmarked as Hartley's successor. If that is the case, he needs to get an increasing amount of game time (IIRC, he only has one start to date?). On the occasions where he starts, Hartley could be used to close out the game, but as he's not really an impact player off the bench, I'd actually use it as an opportunity to include the 3rd choice hooker - either Cowan-Dickie or Taylor to build their experience.
Assuming Hartley is fit for the SA game, he starts, but I'd give George a start against Fiji in the AIs and against Italy in the 6N (as well as maybe Scotland). Ideally we don't want both going with the Lions as the Argentina tour would be an ideal opportunity for George to start a run of games. If not, it's not a disaster as both Cowan-Dickie and Taylor should benefit.
Even if the pecking-order doesn't change, we could conceivably go to Japan with Hartley on c100 caps, George on c30 and Cowan-Dickie and Taylor on c10-15 caps.