It is the boldest selection call of Steve Borthwick’s time as England coach so far. Up ratchets the pressure in quarter-final week, out goes the fly half who handled the intensity and scrutiny so well in England’s World Cup opener. After building a kicking strategy around a full-back with real aerial command, now comes a dramatic shift to a man of altogether different talents.
This feels a selection that will come to inform the public’s perception of Steve Borthwick as England coach – both at this tournament and beyond. If it goes well, both in terms of performance and result, it could solidify his standing as the man to take the team forwards, a calculated gambler with regardless of what follows at this tournament. If Owen Farrell and Marcus Smith falter, though, Borthwick will find himself under severe scrutiny.
Perhaps George Ford will take comfort from the events of four years ago; this is not the first time he has been dropped for a World Cup quarter-final. In Oita, as now, Ford was relegated to the bench as England powered away from Australia, but was back in place to control affairs in the semi-final triumph against New Zealand. If his side progress in his absence again, there will surely be a reconsideration of Ford’s role for the rather different challenges that France or South Africa will pose.
You suspect that the England head coach would have envisaged exactly this scenario before the tournament. When he installed Farrell as his captain at the end of June, and then backed his skipper again at the start of the tournament, it was a statement that he saw the Saracen as close to undroppable. Come hell or high tackle, when it came to the crunch games, Farrell would be his man.
The head coach had wanted to try him at 12 alongside Ford in the warm-up game against Ireland, but Farrell’s ban left him unavailable. That forced Borthwick to reunite the partnership for the final pool game against Samoa, where England scraped past the Pacific Islanders to narrowly avoid a first-ever defeat to their opponents.
Has that muddled performance forced a rethink? No doubt, England were not close to their best in Lille – and it appears that Borthwick has decided it has to be Ford or Farrell.
The pair have some stylistic differences but, broadly, offer similar controlling influence. The absence of one, as Ford showed in Marseille, perhaps allows greater clarity over who is in charge on the pitch. Farrell was in outstanding form for Saracens at the end of last season, and will know he needs a performance to prove his coach right.
George Ford (right) and Owen Farrell are good friends but rivals for the fly half shirt
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As has been the case for virtually the entirety of his career, Ford just can’t escape his great mate’s shadow. The Sale man, two years Farrell’s junior, wore a face of frustration as he was removed with half-an-hour to play, perhaps knowing that it was indicative of his place in the pecking order. “Thanks, George, for rescuing us against Argentina, but Owen’s our guy”.
“He’s a winner,” England’s attack coach Richard Wigglesworth said of his former teammate Farrell earlier this week. “That is Owen. He, under the harshest of pressures and biggest of moments, tends to get better. That is a sign of a winner. He doesn’t just get better but has more of an impact on the people around him as well.
“We’ve got one of the best to do it. We’re lucky to have him. He will no doubt have a massive impact on this game.”
The insertion of Smith at full-back, though, perhaps hints at a more radical rebrand for the last eight. England’s best attacking moments at this tournament have come with the Harlequin on the pitch – now is the time to see if he can spark things from the start in Freddie Steward’s stead.
Smith’s lone professional start at the position came against Chile, a game in which England were not at all tested aerially. Fiji’s kicking game is vastly improved and Smith can expect to be challenged under the high ball, while his ability as a last-ditch defender will also be in focus. Kevin Sinfield’s defence scrambled well at times in Lille last weekend and rather less so at Twickenham in August.
Marcus Smith offers England greater attacking potential at full-back
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England’s kick pressure strategy faltered that day, allowing Fiji’s strike-runners to cut them to pieces in the broken field, just as it did last weekend in Lille. While it would still be a surprise if Borthwick strays too far from Plan A, Smith’s attacking invention might provide necessary Plan B if things again go awry.
“Not much changes,” said Elliot Daly earlier this week of how the back three will have to adapt with Smith at full-back. “Marcus probably shifts in a little bit more to be that second ball player.
“Obviously him being a 10, he wants to get his hands on the ball and organise on the outside. We’ve got a very fluid backline. The way we attack, we’re happy to get anybody on the ball and we just want to get it into the space and the right areas of the pitch.”
England team to face Fiji in Marseille (Sunday 15 October, kick off 4pm BST)
1 Ellis Genge, 2 Jamie George, 3 Dan Cole; 4 Maro Itoje, 5 Ollie Chessum; 6 Courtney Lawes, 7 Tom Curry, 8 Ben Earl; 9 Alex Mitchell, 10 Owen Farrell; 11 Elliot Daly, 12 Manu Tuilagi, 13 Joe Marchant, 14 Jonny May; 15 Marcus Smith.
Replacements: 16 Theo Dan, 17 Joe Marler, 18 Kyle Sinckler, 19 George Martin, 20 Billy Vunipola; 21 Danny Care, 22 George Ford, 23 Ollie Lawrence.
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