Steve Borthwick has tasked Marcus Smith with changing the game from full-back after dropping Freddie Steward from his match-day squad to face France on Saturday.
Marcus Smith, fly-half for last weekend’s loss in Ireland, will start in the England No 15 jersey for the first time since the 2023 World Cup play-off victory over Argentina, with Fin Smith replacing his namesake at No 10. The Northampton playmaker will make his first Test start for England, having won his seven previous caps off the bench, including the final stages of the 27-22 loss in Dublin.
But Borthwick has opted to dispose of Steward’s dependability in favour of Marcus Smith’s “game-changing” abilities at full-back, employed to counter the unique style of France’s long kicking game. After a Wednesday-night pep talk, Borthwick said that the Harlequin was “tremendously excited” for Saturday’s clash at Twickenham.
“I think he is a game-changer,” Borthwick said. “He’s a player who can do things very few in the world can do. And I want him to bring all those natural instincts [to] an England shirt. Whether he starts with No 10 or No 15 on his back, nothing changes. I want those natural instincts on the pitch. He sees space that others don’t. He has an ability to find gaps in defences that most people don’t know are there. That’s exactly what I want him to bring this weekend.
“I was chatting with Marcus [on Wednesday night] and he was tremendously excited about Saturday. Those were his words. He was excited about the feeling of playing with Fin Smith. We trained on Tuesday and then reviewed that session, what they did together. He was feeling exhilarated about the opportunities of those two ball-players and the space they could find. Then the tactical battle that we face with France. France are a brilliantly smart tactical team, so one of the challenges both Fin and Marcus have is ensuring that we get on top of that battle.
“Fin’s kicking game is very, very accurate. Early this season, we had Fin at 30 tackles in a game for Northampton. It tells you a lot about his personality – he’s tough, he’s brave. When players see a fly-half willing to defend like that, they have immense respect for him. So we can talk all about those different skill sets, which he certainly has, he’s an elite player, but he’s also a very tough, brave young man.”
As revealed by Telegraph Sport, Ollie Sleightholme has come in for Cadan Murley on the wing and Tom Willis, also winning a first Test start, will be at No 8 in a back row that also includes Tom Curry and Ben Earl, the latter of whom slides to the openside, with Ben Curry dropping to the bench. The tight five, scrum-half and centres are unchanged from Dublin, with the midfield combination starting a 12th successive Test together.
Borthwick has opted for experience among the replacements who once again comprise six forwards and two backs, with former captain Jamie George recovering from a hamstring problem to win a 98th cap. The hooker, who comes in for Theo Dan, has been appointed as one of two vice-captains with Ellis Genge. Alongside George and Ben Curry, Fin Baxter, Joe Heyes, Ollie Chessum and Chandler Cunningham-South will provide forward cover.
Elliot Daly, set for a 70th cap, will provide back-line cover alongside Harry Randall. Daly, 32, has not represented England since starting on the left wing in the thrilling defeat by France in Lyon last year.
“There are changes within the 23 but minimal changes from outside the 23, which I think is important to recognise,” said Borthwick. “These players, I want them to play together a lot. I’m not saying there aren’t opportunities for others, but I want the players to get used to playing with each other much more often.
“I thought Ben [Curry] played really well, and my conversation was: ‘You did everything I asked of you, I thought you played really well’. What I felt was, in the second half last Saturday, that we needed more running on the pitch. We had a number of players off the bench with great skill sets. My feeling is with Ben Curry on the bench for this game, to come on at some point and add that intensity of work rate, movement, jackal pressure, as well as link play.”
France arrive at Twickenham on the back of a thumping victory over Wales on the opening night of the championship, having inflicted England’s heaviest home defeat the last time they were on English soil, in 2023. France’s starting back line comprises players solely from Toulouse and Bordeaux, two clubs flying high in the Top 14 and both of which have laid waste to English sides in this season’s Champions Cup.
“We’ve all seen it,” Borthwick said. “The clubs have plenty of experience playing against the French clubs over the last period and there’s been one or two tough experiences. That’s something we’ve acknowledged, and are ensuring that the players have learnt from those experiences.
“We aim to go and play. We know there’s a physical challenge on Saturday, and there’s also a great tactical challenge. We’re setting the team up to play tactically the way we want them to, to be physically ready, and then the third thing – and I’ll say this very clearly – I want the players to go and attack.”
England starting XV
Marcus Smith; Tommy Freeman, Ollie Lawrence, Henry Slade, Ollie Sleightholme; Fin Smith, Alex Mitchell; Ellis Genge (v-capt), Luke Cowan-Dickie, Will Stuart, Maro Itoje (capt), George Martin, Tom Curry, Ben Earl, Tom Willis.
Replacements
Jamie George (v-capt), Fin Baxter, Joe Heyes, Ollie Chessum, Chandler Cunningham-South, Ben Curry, Harry Randall, Elliot Daly.
02:36 PM GMT
Borthwick speaks
On the Smith-Smith axis...
It’s an exciting partnership. We trialled it against Japan in the autumn and we saw again on Saturday in the second half. We’ve trained that combination together multiple times previously. Two ball players there, who both see space in the front line and in the backfield.
Marcus, in those unstructured situations, he was so dangerous on Saturday - and he is, with time and space. Trying to keep the ball alive, something we’re working on, might give Marcus a bit more time and space.
Fin’s distribution is excellent and his kicking game is very accurate. Earlier this season, we had Fin at 30 tackles in a game for Northampton. He’s tough, brave. When other players see a fly-half defending like that, they have immense respect.
On missed tackles against Ireland...
The players are working very hard to improve the tackle completion. In international rugby, there’s a more unstructured nature now, and there are more one-on-one tackles on the edges. It’s an important skill.
On picking players and combinations from the same club...
It is one of the considerations. We have talked about that previously: a number of players who have played together. You see who we’re playing against, France - their spine comes from Toulouse.
02:21 PM GMT
Tom Willis
A deserved call-up for the Saracens’ No 8, who will offer England a genuine heavy-duty ball-carrier. Ben Earl slides to his more familiar position of openside, but you get the feeling that Ben Curry has not been dropped “per se”. The Sale flanker, twin brother of Tom, was excellent against the Irish but England really lacked ball-carriers and someone had to make way for Willis.
What a shame that Willis’s brother, Jack, will play more often with half the French team (Toulouse) than anyone in England this season.
02:09 PM GMT
Steve Borthwick
We’re due to hear from the England head coach shortly, where he will explain his team selection.
Stay tuned!
02:04 PM GMT
Thoughts?
Let us know in the comments!
02:00 PM GMT
Breaking!
Five changes - two positional - to the England starting XV for France. Ollie Sleightholme (left wing), Fin Smith (fly-half) and Tom Willis (No 8) are the new faces, with Marcus Smith shifting to full-back and Ben Earl sliding across to openside.
Ben Curry drops to the bench, where there are two further call-ups. Jamie George replaces Theo Dan and Elliot Daly wears the No 23 jersey. Freddie Steward is dropped from the 23 entirely.
England starting XV: Marcus Smith; Tommy Freeman, Ollie Lawrence, Henry Slade, Ollie Sleightholme; Fin Smith, Alex Mitchell; Ellis Genge (v-capt), Luke Cowan-Dickie, Will Stuart, Maro Itoje (capt), George Martin, Tom Curry, Ben Earl, Tom Willis.
Replacements: Jamie George (v-capt), Fin Baxter, Joe Heyes, Ollie Chessum, Chandler Cunningham-South, Ben Curry, Harry Randall, Elliot Daly.
01:52 PM GMT
Saturday’s referee
Is the Georgian, Nika Amashukeli - one of the world’s best at the minute.
01:47 PM GMT
Lunchtime reading
Secrets of Twickenham’s hallowed turf – England’s ‘16th man’
What goes into preparing a pitch worthy of the Six Nations? Read Gavin Mairs’s dispatch with the Allianz Stadium’s head groundsman.
Or...
My exclusive interview with Imanol Harinordoquy from Paris where he says he does not regret saying he disliked the English, and reveals all about that iconic mask he wore for Biarritz.
01:39 PM GMT
Saturday’s opponents
Damian Penaud has recovered from a toe injury to take his place in the France side to face England on Saturday.
The 28-year-old wing, who scored a remarkable six tries on his last appearance of this season for Union Bordeaux-Bègles against the Sharks in the Champions Cup, replaces youngster Théo Attissogbé in Fabien Galthié’s starting line-up.
Elsewhere, as forecasted, Matthieu Jalibert takes over from the suspended Romain Ntamack at fly-half and Paul Boudehent is fit to feature at flanker, allowing for an unchanged pack.
Galthié has also deployed the same replacements as he did for the 43-0 thrashing of Wales in round one as he returns to Twickenham for the first time since dismantling Steve Borthwick’s charges to win 53-10 in 2023.
France starting XV: T Ramos; D Penaud, P-L Barassi, Y Moefana, L Bielle-Biarrey; M Jalibert, A Dupont (capt); J-B Gros, P Mauvaka, U Atonio, A Roumat, E Meafou, F Cros, P Boudehent, G Alldritt.
Replacements: J Marchand, C Baille, G-H Colombe, H Auradou, M Guillard, O Jegou, N Le Garrec, E Gailleton.
01:34 PM GMT
Who would you like to see in?
Here, the Telegraph’s team of rugby writers picked their own squads for France, but what would you like to see?
Let us know in the comments!
01:26 PM GMT
Good afternoon!
Hello and welcome to Telegraph Sport’s live coverage of today’s England team announcement, with France the opponents at Twickenham on Saturday in the second round of the Six Nations.
What we know so far, as reported by Telegraph Sport on Tuesday, is that Marcus Smith will be at full-back against Les Bleus and his namesake Fin will make his first Test start for his country at fly-half.
On the wing, Telegraph Sport exclusively revealed this morning that Ollie Sleightholme will start on the wing in place of the injured Cadan Murley. What happens to Freddie Steward remains to be seen but at this stage his best hope is looking like that No 23 jersey. Tom Willis is also set to start on the back row alongside Tom Curry and Saracens’ club-mate Ben Earl.
“We are blessed with having three 10s that can all play international rugby to a high level,” said Richard Wigglesworth, England senior assistant coach. “Fin has had less chance than the rest at the moment, but he is really clear with his game, he is confident without being arrogant and wants to get better.
“He has all the things that you associate with top 10s. He’s really clear with what he wants and how to best position the team.”
On Fin Smith, England centre Henry Slade has been impressed with the fly-half’s character.
“Fin sees space really well,” said Slade. “There’s always going to be space on the field somewhere, you can’t defend everything, and he sees it really well.”
“Obviously he’s a slightly different 10 to Marcus. Marcus has got that X factor in terms of beating a man one-on-one and all that stuff, but Fin is very measured. He speaks very well.
“A big part of a number 10’s role is moving the team around to where they need to be on the pitch and he’s been really good at that.”
