Marcus Smith is moved to full-back against France with Fin Smith handed his first international start at fly half.
In 2023, it was his promotion to the starting side at Owen Farrell’s expense; in 2025, it is his shifting to full-back to accommodate Fin Smith’s first international start at fly half.
There is a certain irony to the fact that Marcus Smith has been among England’s most consistent performers in that time - but doubts remain about his ability to best structure and set-up a backline; two strengths of his younger namesake.
In the absence of George Furbank, Borthwick feels that Marcus Smith is the man to spark his side on the counter-attack, as he did in the build-up to Cadan Murley’s try in Dublin last week.
During the 2023 World Cup, with England looking to find ways to maximise their offensive options amid the development of a limited kick-pressure led gameplan, the rugby league legend and then-defence coach convinced Steve Borthwick to give it a try.
