Fin Smith, George Ford or Marcus Smith? Panel of experts weigh up Steve Borthwick’s ‘biggest selection decision’
Fin Smith, George Ford and Marcus Smith are battling for the England number 10 shirt.
“George Ford could be the first player to be a head coach whilst wearing the number 10 jersey.”
So Steve Borthwick has been told as he weighs up the biggest selection decision of England’s autumn.
The world’s No.5-ranked nation has won seven in a row for the first time since 2020 and has home advantage for end-of-year Tests against Australia, Fiji, New Zealand and Argentina.
It is an enviable position for head coach Borthwick, except that he has a major selection headache likely to be keeping him awake at night. That of who starts at fly-half.
Should he pick Fin Smith, a British and Irish Lion who has never lost for England when starting at 10? Should he opt for Marcus Smith, who featured in all but three of the Lions’ matches in Australia?
Outstanding leader
Or should he keep faith with Ford, who did not make the Lions tour at all but captained England on their July tour of the Americas and was outstanding as player and leader in three successive wins.
The absence of Owen Farrell, England’s record points scorer again eligible for selection, from the most recent training squad makes Borthwick’s decision for the November series a tad easier, but it remains a monumental call.
Ford, who spearheads Sale Sharks’ attack against Newcastle on Friday, has already caught the eye this season. Indeed, an England Rugby post on social media, advertising hospitality packages, chose to use him as the main image.
This weekend is the first opportunity the Smiths get to have a say, with the Lions finally uncaged after their enforced rest. Fin takes on Leicester in the East Midlands derby at Northampton, Marcus locks horns with Saracens at Harlequins.
Decision day is approaching, so to help Borthwick with his thinking, Planet Rugby has brought together a panel of experts to weigh up the merits of the candidates.
Dan Biggar played fly-half for Wales on 112 occasions and wore the No.10 jersey in all three Tests for the 2021 Lions. Freddie Burns won five England caps at fly-half between 2012-14.
Ugo Monye and David Flatman played fly-half only in their dreams but the former Red Rose duo are respected pundits for TNT Sports, who will broadcast England’s autumn games at Allianz Stadium, Twickenham.
Dan Biggar
“Let me start by saying I love George Ford as a player, I really do. He’s been written off, he’s taken a load of flack, but time after time he’s delivered in big games, big moments, for club and country. His performances in Argentina this summer were brilliant. He’s a person you want to have in your squad.
“It’s probably going to be between him and Fin Smith for the starting position and that is such a tough call because Fin hasn’t done anything wrong in that England shirt. Handed his first start at 10 after England lost their Six Nations opener in Ireland, he steered them to four straight wins.
“He did everything right in that position, getting England on the front foot and playing nice rugby. Then the Lions pick him and he does not get as much game time as he would have liked. Had they not, Fin starts England’s two Tests in Argentina and continues to build his team.
“Everybody knows what George can do. There’s no disputing that. He’s a Test match player, his game tailor-made to international rugby. He has a strong kicking game, he’s tactically brilliant, he runs the game and he’s got the presence. When he slots into a team that team becomes his.
“The big question, which Steve and George will have to decide amongst themselves, is can he hang on until the next World Cup in 2027? Because, at 23 – nine years George’s junior – you know Fin will.
“Steve made a big call in the Six Nations by bringing Fin in and rejigging the backline a little bit. You’ve got to wonder, was that a plan for the next World Cup? And if that is the case, I think you have to give Fin probably the next 12 months and say, ‘Okay, you are our guy’.
“England know they also have George, Owen and Marcus. But I think you have to go all in on someone at this point, give Fin a really good go. Give him time to make the team his and, also, to grow with the team.
“Fin doesn’t have Ford’s 102-cap, year-on-year experience. So for me he needs to be given the keys now and told, ‘this is your team’. Because it’s a lot harder for Fin to come in off the back of George playing and make it his team than it is the other way round.”
Freddie Burns
“If you’re talking credit in the bank that 10 shirt right now is Fordy’s and Fin and Marcus are going to have to go and get it off it him.
“I know they were away with the Lions and I know Fordy is much older than them both but, with his experience and his sharpness, he’s probably seeing and reading the game the best he ever has. When you’re in a specialist position like 10 that’s absolute gold.
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“The year we had together at Leicester I learned so much from him. I’d like to think he maybe picked up a little bit from me, but that was probably more how to dance around the gym naked rather than anything on a rugby pitch.
“So, yeah, I see Fordy as the guy who’s in that 10 shirt at the minute and it’s up to the other two to change Steve’s mind with their play.”
Ugo Monye
“George is the man in possession but you have to understand how much Fin will have grown with the Lions from being surrounded by truly world class players, and being mentored by Johnny Sexton for two months.
“No question, he’ll be a better player for it. Marcus Smith the same. He’ll be so hungry to be seen as a 10, not just a really good squad player. What a great place for England to be.
“The job of an international coach is to spin two plates. To win matches now whilst creating experience for the next World Cup. And at some point, Steve knows, George and Owen aren’t going to be there.
“There is no doubt in my mind George will still be at the top of his game come the 2027 World Cup. His rugby IQ is incredible. He could be the first player to be a head coach whilst wearing the No.10 jersey. He’s already the closest thing in England we have to a player coach.”
David Flatman
“It’s George’s shirt and to pick someone other than George you’ve got to drop George, and how do you do that? You can’t. He’s too good. Those three lads could go and do it, make that four with Faz, and England can beat anybody with any of them.
“But George has the shirt, and what has he done to deserve being dropped? Nothing. That’s how I look at it. I don’t know how you tap him on the shoulder and tell him he’s not playing. What would be the reasoning? He’s an absolute boss.”
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