In just three days England begin their long journey across Europe to kick-off their Six Nations campaign.
Steve Borthwick has named his 36-man squad and they will fly to Spain for their warm-up camp on Wednesday, before heading direct to Dublin to take on Ireland.
Ange Postecoglou’s book about attacking football has been on Borthwick’s reading list and the coach is now hoping to discover his own brand of high-intensity rugby.
The decision has been made for Maro Itoje to lead the charge at captain but there are plenty of other big decisions for Borthwick to make.
England head coach Steve Borthwick has big decisions to make ahead of the Six Nations
THE SMITHS
Marcus Smith was England’s standout player during a disappointing autumn campaign but he has struggled to get the team firing.
With more than two years remaining until the World Cup, now is the time to experiment with new combinations. England have a squad loaded with speed and the key is to find the space for them to run free.
Fin Smith does not have as many dazzling moments as his namesake, but he is seen as a more effective facilitator to bring his team-mates into the action.
He has a ready-mate half-back combination with his Northampton team-mate Alex Mitchell and deserves a shot in the No10 jersey, off the back of guiding his club to the 2024 Premiership title.
However, Marcus has too much talent not to feature so Borthwick would do well to find a dual-playmaker solution, with the Harlequins star wearing No 15.
Marcus Smith was England’s standout player in the Autumn, but failed to get the team firing
Fin Smith has proved to be a more effective facilitator to bring his team-mates into the action
FALSE WINGER
The option of fielding Marcus Smith and Freddie Steward in the same-back three has been openly discussed. Smith is a natural No 10 but he can offer valuable second play-making skills from full-back.
England know Ireland would try to unsettle Smith under the high-ball, so selecting Steward in the unfamiliar position of winger could offer close support to cover the backfield.
Deploying Smith deep in the backfield is a case of risk and reward. The clampdown on ‘escorts’ to protect the catcher has resulted in a spike in contestable kicks that could expose his defence, but it also creates unstructured attacking opportunities where the two playmakers could take advantage.
Selecting Freddie Steward as a winger could offer support if Marcus Smith is selected deep
CHANGE OF HOOKER
As Joe El-Abd tries to fix the holes in England’s defence there is one statistic he cannot ignore. Luke Cowan-Dickie went on a run of 52 tackles for Sale without missing a single one.
Having recovered from career threatening surgery, Cowan-Dickie is delivering the gritty, abrasive performances that earned him a call-up to Warren Gatland’s Lions team in 2021.
After stripping Jamie George of the captaincy, Cowan-Dickie now has a chance to make the No 2 jersey his own.
He is three years younger than George, making him a more suitable age profile to build towards the 2027 World Cup.
Luke Cowan-Dickie has the chance to make the No 2 jersey his own in the England defence
Cowan-Dickie is a more suitable age than Jamie George, pictured, who has lost the captaincy
AN 80-MINUTE CAPTAIN
In his 88 England caps, there are just two occasions when Maro Itoje has been brought off before the final whistle. While Itoje does not have the same kind of soft people skills as George, he is an 80-minute animal who consistently delivers high-intensity performances.
On of the problems of George’s tenure as England captain was that he was consistently substituted before the final quarter, disturbing the leadership balance. They subsequently lost a series of games on the bell.
The thinking behind Itoje’s appointment is that he will lead the team from start to finish, entering he is the only voice liaising with the referee throughout.
The likes of Owen Farrell and Dylan Hartley all saw their performance dip as England captain but others, such as Courtney Lawes, have risen to the challenge.
Should George be deployed on the bench, England could introduce valuable leadership skills to improve their final-quarter performance.
New England captain Maro Itoje is an 80-minute animal and delivers high intensity displays
A NEW FACE AT NO8
Not many players in the English ranks can claim to be in the form of their lives but Tom Willis is an exception.
He is dominating games for Saracens every week, beating more defenders and carrying the ball more than anyone else in the Premiership.
England have not had a specialist No 8 since they squeezed every last minute of Test rugby out of Billy Vunipola.
Willis does not offer Vunipola’s raw Pacific Island clout but he is more suited to a high-tempo game plan.
Tom Willis is in the form of his life at Saracens and will offer England a specialist No 8
BRING THROUGH THE UNDER 20S
Last year’s Class of 2024 that won the Under 20 World Cup could develop into generational talents. It is crucial for Borthwick and the RFU find a way of nurturing their development, leading to exposure at a senior level.
Asher Opoku-Fordjour is the first in line at prop, where England desperately need fresh blood as they move on from Joe Marler and Dan Cole. The 20-year-old made his debut during the autumn campaign and now has the chance for further exposure to Test rugby.
Back-row forward Henry Pollock is another hot prospect who was not named in the Six Nations squad, but Borthwick will surely invite him to spend time in camp to familiarise himself with the environment.
