Good times for a change? Borthwick pairs playmaker Smiths against France
Good times for a change? Borthwick pairs playmaker Smiths against France
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Steve Borthwick has handed a first England start to the fly-half Fin Smith and shifted Marcus Smith to fullback as he seeks to end his side’s dismal run of form against France on Saturday. Tom Willis will also make a first start having been given the nod at No 8 while Ollie Sleightholme comes in for the injured Cadan Murley on the left wing. Fin Smith, 22, has seven caps but all his appearances have been made from the bench to date. He played the final 16 minutes of last weekend’s 27-22 defeat by Ireland, with namesake Marcus moving to fullback, and Borthwick has rolled the dice and paired them together from the off for the visit of France. Jamie George is named among the replacements having missed last weekend’s defeat as England look to arrest a run of seven defeats in nine matches and keep their Six Nations title hopes alive.
Marcus Smith has started for England at fullback before – most recently in the World Cup bronze medal match victory over Argentina – and Borthwick will be hoping to use his playmaking ability from deep against Les Bleus, who have a tendency to kick long. Borthwick’s decision to drop Freddie Steward sacrifices his aerial ability, however. Willis, meanwhile, has won two caps to date, both off the bench. The most recent came against Ireland last week but he comes into the back-row to add ballast against a hulking French forward pack. Ben Earl moves to openside flanker as a result with Tom Curry continuing on the blindside.
Sleightholme has been preferred to Tom Roebuck on the wing while Elliot Daly and Steward were both alternative options. The 24-year-old Northampton winger’s relationship with club-mates Alex Mitchell, Fin Smith and Tommy Freeman will have counted in his favour, so too his pace with France unleashing Damian Penaud and Louis Bielle-Biarrey on the wings. George comes into the squad for his first appearance since he was stripped of the England captaincy. He missed the pre-tournament training camp in Girona and the Dublin defeat but, with 97 caps, he provides welcome experience as England bid to end their habit of capitulating in the final quarter of matches.
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