England axe 3 stars as Marcus Smith returns against Wales - the team Borthwick should pick | Rugby | Sport




So it all comes down to a Six Nations Super Saturday. After three successive wins in the tournament, England cross the Severn Bridge to play Wales with their title hopes very much alive.

Steve Borthwick’s men head into the weekend second in the table and a point behind leaders France. In reality, nothing less than a bonus point win in Cardiff will do, and even then, the Red Roses are reliant on Scotland doing them a favour in Paris. However, with England kicking off before Fabien Galthie’s men, the opportunity is there to pile the pressure on, although team selection could define their hopes.

Express Sport looks at the big decisions for Borthwick ahead of his date with destiny…

Bring back playmaker Smith

Leaving the mercurially talented Marcus Smith on the bench against Italy looked questionable. As it happened, the injury to Ollie Lawrence meant he entered the fray early anyway and proceeded to score and prove influential in the 47-24 win.

Given the table, Borthwick cannot be conservative in the Welsh capital on Saturday. Bringing back the Harlequins playmaker at full-back is a must, and Elliot Daly is more than capable of switching to the centre role in Lawrence’s place.

Curry comes in

Given that he crossed over against The Azzurri, dropping Jack Willis for the crunch game on Saturday may sound harsh. However, Ben Curry is a more versatile option in the back row, which could prove crucial in the Principality Stadium.

Welsh skipper Jack Morgan has been one of the outstanding performers of the Championship. Curry appears to be a better option to negate him, which may prove pivotal if England are to establish dominance.

No room or sentiment

Jamie George winning his 100th cap in the win over Italy was poignant. It also signified a fitting tribute to a player who has served his country superbly for a decade.

But with a title at stake, there is no room for sentiment on Saturday. The 34-year-old does not match the dynamism of Luke Cowan-Dickie, and if Borthwick wants fortune to favour the brave, the Sale hooker should start come 4.45pm on Saturday.



Source link

Posted: 2025-03-10 09:28:09

EU civil war as Macron hopes Italy fights deal ‘pricing out farmers' | World | News
 



... Read More

Jannik Sinner forced to withdraw from Qatar Open despite travelling to Doha | Tennis | Sport
 



... Read More

The fall of Justin Welby – podcast | Justin Welby
 



... Read More

Flu season intense in U.S., on the rise in Canada, reports say
 



... Read More

Florida mayor seeks to evict cinema for showing Oscar-winning documentary | Florida
 



... Read More

Mexican drug lord pleads not guilty to killing of DEA agent after US extradition | US crime
 



... Read More

Man Utd player ratings vs Fenerbahce: Two 8s and four 5s as unlikely duo stand out | Football | Sport
 



... Read More

Gridlock: why it can take 11 years to connect solar farms to the UK network | Energy industry
 



... Read More