England take Marcus Smith gamble for France clash as Fin Smith replaces him for first start

England volition play Fin Smith astatine fly-half arsenic the Northampton Saint gets his archetypal planetary commencement with Marcus Smith dropping backmost to fullback for the Six Nations clash with France

England brag Steve Borthwick has taken a gamble with his enactment arsenic Marcus Smith drops to fullback with Fin Smith coming successful to marque his archetypal Test commencement astatine fly-half this weekend.

France caput to Twickenham connected Saturday, 2 years aft they enactment 53 points connected the English during a grounds triumph successful London. England are looking to drawback a mediocre tally of signifier that continued with decision successful Ireland past week arsenic Borthwick opts for respective changes.

Marcus Smith volition deterioration the 15 garment arsenic statement continues implicit wherever he's champion utilised fixed the endowment successful the squad. Fin Smith looked awesome during his little cameo successful Dublin with the Northampton Saints fly-half getting the motion astatine 10 from the commencement for the archetypal time.

Cadan Murley, scorer of a effort connected debut past week, misses retired done wounded and Ollie Sleightholme comes successful to regenerate him connected the helping meaning Tommy Freeman is the lone subordinate of the backmost 3 to past from past weekend.

Saracens prima Tom Willis comes successful astatine Number 8. The backmost rower has been a standout successful the Premiership and came disconnected the seat six days agone but volition get a accidental to usage his physicality from the commencement with Ben Earl returning to the flank. Tom Curry clasp his spot with member Ben Curry dropping to the bench.

Captain Maro Itoje is partnered successful the 2nd enactment by George Martin and the beforehand enactment remains the aforesaid with Luke Cowan-Dickie inactive lining up astatine hooker. Former skipper Jamie George returns from his wounded and volition connection his acquisition from the bench.

Elliot Daly comes into the matchday 23 and is the inferior backmost connected the seat with Borthwick going with a 6-2 divided that volition spot the likes of Ollie Chessum and Chandler Cunningham-South connection their impact.

France began their Six Nations with a triumph to nil against Wales past Friday. Les Blues are seeking their archetypal occurrence successful the title since their Grand Slam triumph successful 2022 and volition invited backmost Damian Penaud, who missed the opening crippled with a toed injury.

The Bordeaux winger has scored six times crossed the past 2 Six Nations and volition adhd much menace to a French onslaught that volition beryllium orchestrated by fly-half Matthieu Jalibert, who replaces Romain Ntamack pursuing his reddish paper past week.

England squad to play France

15 Marcus Smith, 14 Tommy Freeman, 13 Ollie Lawrence, 12 Henry Slade, 11 Ollie Sleightholme, 10 Fin Smith, 9 Alex Mitchell; 1 Ellis Genge, 2 Luke Cowan-Dickie, 3 Will Stuart, 4 Maro Itoje (c), 5 George Martin, 6 Tom Curry, 7 Ben Earl, 8 Tom Willis.

Replacements: 16 Jamie George, 17 Fin Baxter, 18 Joe Heyes, 19 Ollie Chessum, 20, Chandler Cunningham-South, 21 Ben Curry, 22 Harry Randall, 23 Elliot Daly.