England predicted team v Italy: Steve Borthwick to let Fin Smith ‘run the show’ while experienced back ‘rewarded’ for bench cameos
From left to right: Steve Borthwick, Fin Smith and Elliot Daly
England mark their return to Six Nations action with a Test against a wounded Italy side, but there are still some question marks looming over Steve Borthwick’s side.
Victories over France and Scotland have put England right in the mix for the title this year, but there is still a sense things could be better.
You can very easily make the point that the victories came more as a result of the other team losing rather than England winning. Finn Russell missed three conversions in the 16-15 Calcutta Cup triumph, including the crucial kick in the 79th minute, and France blew chance after chance in the 26-25 win two weeks previous.
On top of this, boos rang out around the Allianz Stadium, Twickenham at various points due to England’s tactics of kicking the leather off the ball.
But this Test against Italy could be an opportunity to reignite the attacking flair we saw in the Autumn Nations Series and maybe even throw a few new faces into the mix.
Without further ado, here is how we think England will line up this weekend to face the Azzurri.
15 Elliot Daly
Reports are pointing to Saracens utility back Elliot Daly getting the nod at 15 for the Italy Test, which is good reward for some strong cameos off the bench. Daly brings heaps of Test match experience – 71 caps at the time of writing – to this England backline which is still in its early infancy at this level, but he still gives that extra ball-playing dynamic in the backfield that Borthwick is after. He plays that link role extremely well for Saracens, notably starring in the Champions Cup, and that could very easily transition over to this England attack. It’s a bold call, but it could pay off.
14 Tommy Freeman
He’s had a strong Six Nations thus far, and there’s no reason he can’t have another decent outing against Italy. Freeman’s ability to carry through traffic, plus his aerial prowess, make him a valuable part of Borthwick’s arsenal, but he has also added that poachers touch to his game too with three tries so far this Championship. His club connection with Fin Smith, Ollie Sleightholme and Fin Smith is also a big tick in his box.
13 Ollie Lawrence
Bath centre Ollie Lawrence should retain his place in this starting XV once again as he has quickly become a point of difference in midfield. Since shifting to his favoured 13, we are finally seeing just how effective Lawrence can be at this level, with him charging through those wider channels and dragging England up the pitch. He faces the unenviable task of facing off against Juan Ignacio Brex, but that head-to-head could be pivotal to the outcome of the game.
12 Henry Slade
Defensive errors crept back into his game against Scotland, and you feel Henry Slade needs a big game against Italy. He might have gotten away with a few against Scotland, but when squaring off against arguably the best 12 in the world in Tommaso Menoncello – the 2024 Six Nations Player of the Championship – he will need to be right on his game. His silky playmaking skills will also need to come to the party this weekend and could be the main link outside of Fin Smith.
11 Ollie Sleightholme
Hopefully we get to see Ollie Sleightholme back to his best this weekend. He’s struggled to get into the previous two Six Nations outings thus far after returning from injury, but with some more minutes under his legs and the fallow week to get himself fully right he should be up to his old tricks. When on song, he is such a powerful, explosive player who can either run through or around defenders with ease, which makes him a seriously potent threat in attack.
10 Fin Smith
This is his time to run the show now, with Marcus Smith out of the starting XV. Borthwick has instilled a lot of trust in the Northampton Saints man by starting him against France and Scotland, and the 22-year-old has repaid him in bucketloads. He has shown serious Test-match minerals with his two game-winning kicks in those outings. He also gave England that sense of control and calmness that seemed to be missing, and showed he can perform in different ways with a gritty effort against Scotland and a much more flashy showing against France. He’s looking a real quality Test operator at the moment.
9 Alex Mitchell
Joining clubmate Smith in the halves will be Alex Mitchell, and hopefully, he is given some more attacking freedom this time out. Mitchell was shackled by the box-kicking tactics in the previous round, which simply doesn’t suit his game and that was made clear against Scotland. He is such a threat around the breakdown with his sniping ability, but he thrives when given fast, clean ball which in turn allows him to inject some fizz into the attack.
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8 Tom Willis
Saracens man Tom Willis is understood to be back in training after progressing through the return-to-play protocols, meaning he should be all good to feature at eight once again. The rugby public urged Borthwick to give him a shot this Six Nations, and now Borthwick has given him that chance, he doesn’t look like leaving anytime soon. Willis has given England that hungry ball-carrier in the tight they have been craving for so long, which has given them a lovely new dynamic.
7 Ben Earl
Fellow Saracens back-rower Ben Earl is also understood to be back in training after some rehab in the fallow week and will likely start as a result. With Willis taking a lot of the load in the tight, Earl has been able to make those wonderful charges in broken field that he is capable of, which in turn has dragged England through the gainline. He was always a menace in the breakdown, but again with his attacking load virtually halved he has been throwing himself into every ruck and won some precious turnovers as a result.
6 Tom Curry
Again, Tom Curry is expected to be back in the mix this weekend after overcoming a dead leg and will likely keep his spot in this starting back-row. He has just found some really nice synergy with Willis and Earl in their time together, and he really compliments everything they do. Curry also adds some extra spice to England’s defence and breakdown too, which is where Italy can really struggle.
5 Ollie Chessum
With George Martin ruled out for the rest of the Six Nations, Ollie Chessum should be the defacto starting lock alongside skipper Maro Itoje. Chessum has fixed a lot of the lineout issues which plagued England in their opening two Tests of the Championship, but with his ability to play six he also acts as an extra back-rower on the pitch and just gets through so much work for his team.
4 Maro Itoje
The captain has been in inspired form this Six Nations and this could be another major chance to showcase his Lions captaincy credentials. Itoje has just added a real sense of calmness to England this Championship, particularly in the latter stages of games, but he also sets the tone with his actions on the pitch and leads by example with every tackle, carry and acrobatic jackal. Just a brilliant player, who is having a storming tournament.
3 Will Stuart
He is arguably the most improved tighthead in the Championship, but his scrummaging will be tested this weekend against a fearsome Italian pack. Whilst Danilo Fischetti is a major injury concern, the scrum has been a real strong point for the Azzurri this Six Nations and they might feel they can target England in this department. He will need to be right on his A-game this weekend.
2 Luke Cowan-Dickie
Despite the momentous occasion ahead of Jamie George – who would win his 100th cap if he features – Luke Cowan-Dickie should retain his starting spot. His physicality around the park will be hugely important given the abrasiveness of the Italian pack and you feel he could be a key man in neutralising that threat.
1 Ellis Genge
Like Stuart, Genge’s improvements in the scrum will need to be on full display against Simone Ferrari. Genge has locked down the scrum this Six Nations, and probably deserves more rewards from the referee to be honest, but he will come under the pump against Ferrari so he needs to be at his best.
Bench: 16 Jamie George, 17 Fin Baxter, 18 Joe Heyes, 19 Ted Hill, 20 Chandler Cunningham-South, 21 Ben Curry, 22 Jack van Poortvliet, 23 Marcus Smith
The bench is actually pretty interesting this weekend, considering all the potential changes, but we think Borthwick could opt to play it safe in some regards. Marcus Smith’s omission from the starting XV should mean he comes onto the bench. Jack van Poortvliet could be a nice option considering the way Borthwick wants his replacement nines to play and the Leicester playmaker impressed on England A duty too. Elsewhere, Ted Hill should retain his spot despite a strong challenge from Alex Coles and Chandler Cunningham-South and Ben Curry should just about get the nod over impressive youngster Henry Pollock. Jamie George will also likely become a centurion from the bench.
