England team: Five takeaways as Steve Borthwick avoids ‘bold decision’ but rewards form winger to face Ireland
England fly-half Fin Smith, wing Immanuel Feyi-Waboso and head coach Steve Borthwick.
England head coach Steve Borthwick has named his squad to take on an in-form Ireland in their Six Nations showdown at Twickenham on Saturday.
The Red Rose boss has made a few alternations to his starting team, with two in the backs and one in the pack with further changes on the bench.
Here are five takeaways from Borthwick’s selection to tackle Ireland.
Trust in Marcus Smith, harsh on Fin
The first point worth discussing is on the bench as Northampton star Fin Smith drops out of the squad at the expense of Marcus Smith, who missed the opening three rounds. The Saints pivot has hardly put a foot wrong since making his debut in the white jersey, and he is ultimately unlucky to miss out altogether.
As David Campese noted in our exclusive interview with him, it is puzzling that Borthwick is not backing the attacking prowess of the Northampton Saints stars. Following the loss in the Calcutta Cup, the England boss could have opted for Fin with Marcus coming off the bench.
For England, it’s difficult to see a win over Ireland, but perhaps following the Irish lead and backing the young up-and-comer, in their case Jack Crowley, could have produced a positive outcome.
This is no slight on starter George Ford, who is still a classy operator, but a bold decision against the best side in the Northern Hemisphere could have been the difference.
One thing is clear, is that if Borthwick is looking to inject flair and energy into the backline it will be coming from Marcus, who the England boss is clearly a fan of. He has featured at fly-half and full-back under Borthwick’s control, and it will be interesting to see if he can replace Ford or George Furbank in the latter stages of the match.
Big three
There are some positive changes, however, as Borthwick has beefed up his starting pack to tackle Ireland with the inclusion of George Martin in the second-row and Ollie Chessum shifting to the flank.
It was always going to be a massive challenge to replace Courtney Lawes in the England set-up, and while Ethan Roots has impressed at stages, Chessum and Martin are certainly a more long-term solution.
Martin has been impressed in just about every Test match for England to date and combines with Maro Itoje to form a nasty second-row that can certainly challenge the Irish.
Having Itoje, Martin and Chessum in the same starting pack massively improves England’s ability with ball in hand and, particularly in the lineouts. The trio are all hard-working forwards and with Chandler Cunningham-South and Alex Dombrandt on the bench, Chessum and Martin can empty their tanks with Itoje bound to play the entire 80 minutes.
Borthwick wants a playmaking full-back
While England continue to struggle on the attack, it is clear that their attacking patterns will rely on a full-back that is comfortably operating as a first receiver and playmaker.
Last year, Marcus Smith slipped into the full-back role during the World Cup and this year, Furbank has replaced Freddie Steward in the role.
Steward is phenomenal under the high ball, in fact one of the best in the game, but he offers little playmaking ability, with his attacking prowess being his large frame and boot.
He is bound to get back into the matchday squad at some stage, but it’s clear that he will need to work on his playmaking abilities if he is to compete with the likes of Smith and Furbank going forward.
Danny Care hitting 100
A well-deserved milestone awaits Danny Care on Saturday as he becomes the sixth male England Test centurion off the bench.
The 37-year-old is still producing stellar performances for Harlequins and has been sharp for England in recent times too. His achievement is made all the more remarkable considering that he was in Test exile between 2018 and 2022 before forcing his way back into the side and becoming a regular in the matchday 23s.
Borthwick sang the veteran’s praises when announcing the team and rightly so.
“I’d like to pay special tribute to Danny Care who will win his 100th cap at Twickenham on Saturday. Danny has been a tremendous servant to English rugby and reaching this milestone is an incredible achievement,” the England boss said.
“He’s a wonderful player and someone who always puts the team first. I’m sure Saturday will an emotional and memorable day for Danny and his family, and the team couldn’t be prouder of his accomplishment.”
A huge chance for Immanuel Feyi-Waboso
Saturday’s Test provides a huge opportunity for Exeter Chiefs star Immanuel Feyi-Waboso to stamp his mark on the starting line-up.
He has impressed off the bench for the Red Rose this Six Nations and is fully deserving of the chance to mix it up against the best team in the tournament.
He grabbed his first try against Scotland last time out and will look to add to his tally against the Irish. A strong and rapid winger is just what the England backline has been screaming out for in recent years and he provides just that and he has the backing of England skipper Jamie George.
“Manny’s ready – he’s more than ready. You’ve seen that in the time he’s had on the field so far in the Six Nations,” George said.
“He’s an incredible talent, but the maturity we’ve seen from Manny is something that’s impressed me a lot.
“His willingness to learn, he’s eager, you’re constantly having to pull him back, but he’s so excited for this opportunity, you can see that, and that energy is infectious throughout the team.”
He will line up across from Ireland’s James Lowe, who will certainly put the speedster through his paces, and if he comes out on top, it will be difficult for Borthwick to drop him for the clash against France on Super Saturday.
