Marcus Smith given the keys as Borthwick goes all guns blazing
LONDON, ENGLAND - MARCH 09: Marcus Smith of England makes a break whilst under pressure from Ryan Baird and Caelan Doris of Ireland during the Guinness Six Nations 2024 match between England and Ireland at Twickenham Stadium on March 09, 2024 in London, England. (Photo by Shaun Botterill/Getty Images)
By Tom Jeffreys
Steve Borthwick has decided there is no room for experimentation as he names his strongest squad for this weekend’s fixture against Japan.
Marcus Smith’s selection at fly half is the headline statement, the Harlequin given his 35th cap whilst RPA Player of the Year and Premiership winning ten Fin Smith is on the bench, despite his blisteringly hot form for Northampton Saints.
Saints’ premiership winning side is rewarded, however, with three starters in Alex Mitchell, Tommy Freeman, and George Furbank; the three typified England’s transition to front foot attacking rugby in the back end of the Six Nations and their form ensures selection is the new norm in England’s backline, despite the near faultless England career of Freddie Steward.
Steward, whose attacking dynamism has been subject to criticism since Furbank’s emergence as a top quality player this season, has no place in the 23 at all, with Borthwick instead handing a potential debut off the bench for Sale’s Tom Roebuck; the 6″2 inch speedster has scored 12 tries this season, but his aerial ability seems to be highly rated.
His selection means no room for the Premiership’s top try scorer, Ollie Sleightholme, regardless of the 15 tries he scored on his way to a winners medal, but with breathtaking quality such as Immanuel Feyi-Waboso ahead of him, there will not be too many qualms about that.
Curry has played just 35 minutes since England’s bronze medal match eight months ago given a life altering hip operation he had shortly after, but those 35 minutes, in Sale’s Premiership semi-final loss, were no different to the rumbustious, hard hitting, abrasive carrying form Curry had always shown pre-op. Ahead of him is an indisputably strong back row of breakthrough star Chandler Cunningham South, the body collector Sam Underhill and England’s form player Ben Earl.
In the starting eight, Bevan Rodd is given a seventh start in lieu of the injured Ellis Genge, whilst Dan Cole draws equal with Jason Leonard’s 114 caps on the other side of the scrum, with captain Jamie George taking his place between them.
In the engine room, Maro Itoje also features despite warnings against it, with the ever-present second row set to surpass the cap on minutes played for English players and even though you may be surprised by his selection, visit crazy vegas online casino to check for odds on how well he might perform.
His selection, however, signifies Steve Borthwick’s intent with his uncharacteristically early team announcement. This is his currently perceived strongest 23 and with one of England’s toughest international fixtures lists ever ahead, he intends to make a statement this Saturday morning in the Japan National Stadium.
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