"Every player wants to start" - Steve Borthwick understands Marcus Smith's England frustrations ahead of Italy Test

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Borthwick has opted for a tactical reshuffle in his backline, with Saracens star Elliot Daly named at fullback, leaving Marcus Smith on the replacements bench. There is no budging Fin Smith's stronghold upon the 10 jersey either, with the Northampton man starting his third Test in a row at fly half. However, the head coach was keen to stress that the Harlequins playmaker remains a vital part of England’s strategy, despite his omission from the starting XV.

"I’ve been really clear and open with the players throughout. I understand that every player wants to start – it’s been the same for every England player in every generation. But I’ll stress again; I think we have a lot of talented players; a lot of talented backs with attacking ability."

"Marcus has done so many things very well and when I talked to him I said that he’s a game-changer – that’s the best way I can describe it. He has an impact on games. When he has the impact, it’s a different time of the game now to what it has been. Elliot Daly is starting at 15, he has trained brilliantly and I think he’s played really well when he’s come on in the last couple of games."

The decision suggests that Borthwick sees Smith as an impact player off the bench, particularly with the potential to exploit defensive gaps in the second half.

"I think Marcus has done some really outstanding things. We all know that he has the ability to find space that other players can’t. The exciting thing I’m looking forward to this weekend is unleashing him when there is a bit of fatigue on the pitch, a bit of space on the pitch. When he comes on with his freshness, I think the whole stadium will be excited to see him come in that second half on Sunday."

Smith’s omission is part of a broader selection approach that has seen England prioritize cohesion among club combinations, with Fraser Dingwall coming in at centre in place of Henry Slade. Dingwall adds a fifth Northampton Saints man to the England back-line, that already features Alex Mitchell, Fin Smith, Ollie Selightholme and Tommy Freeman.

An injured arm keeps George Furbank from rounding off the side at fullback, with Borthwick calling upon his exciting green, black and gold cohort once again.

"So I think, and I've been really open about this, when you have the preparation time that you have with England. When you have a number of clubs we select from, picking players from the same club, when they know each other and play together, it's certainly a tactic that every England coach has used over a period of time."

"I've been really open about this, when you have the preparation time that you have with England. When you have a number of clubs we select from, picking players from the same club, when they know each other and play together, it's certainly a tactic that every England coach has used over a period of time. So when you look at the early 2000s you've seen the Leicester and Wasps you look at the late teens, and you've seen the Saracens players, playing together."

"So now you're seeing a 9, 10 and 12 from the same club, two wingers from the same club, that understand each other. There's a togetherness that has been built that's outside of an England camp coming in. And then understanding, me making sure there is an understanding between the players that necessarily aren't as familiar. I think Elliot Daly's played so many times for England, he's been in the 23 so often recently he's been in the Autumn series. I think the players all understand what he is about as a player."

Despite the changes to his team, Borthwick is eager to maintain consistency within his matchday squad, reinforcing the idea that these alterations are minor refinements rather than wholesale changes. Jamie George comes in to start at hooker for his 100th Test cap, with Luke Cowan-Dickie dropped to the bench this week.

Elsewhere, Dingwall's move in to replace Henry Slade puts the Exeter Chiefs man out of the match day 23, for the first time since the 2023 Rugby World Cup warm-up Tests against Wales and Fiji.

"There will be a lot of consistency in the team because I want to build togetherness. I’ve made some changes but they’re changes within the 23 and minimal changes from outside the 23."

For England, the clash with Italy is an opportunity to build further cohesion and refine their attacking structures ahead of sterner tests later in the championship. While Smith’s role may be different, his ability to influence the game could be crucial when introduced in the latter stages.

As for Italy, they arrive in London eager to cause an upset and end their 31-0 losing streak to England. Their attacking ambition under head coach Gonzalo Quesada continues to develop, with young stars such as Tommaso Menoncello and Ange Capuozzo offering a dangerous edge and unpredictability. However, history remains firmly against them, with England never having lost to the Azzurri in the Six Nations era.

With Smith set to provide fireworks from the bench, all eyes will be on how England execute their game plan, and whether the Harlequins magician can make the impact Borthwick envisions when called upon in the second half.

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