England Overhauls Squad for Italy
England rugby head coach Steve Borthwick is planning a major overhaul ahead of Saturday's Six Nations clash against Italy at Twickenham. The standout change: 22-year-old Fin Smith is expected to make his first Six Nations start at fly-half, replacing George Ford. This signals a strategic shift as England seeks more dynamic attack after a stuttering tournament start.
The decision to start Fin Smith is part of a wider squad shake-up, with reports suggesting as many as nine changes could be made for the Italy match. This follows a humiliating 42-21 home defeat to Ireland, which ended England's hopes of winning the Six Nations title. Coach Steve Borthwick's patience appears to have worn thin after back-to-back losses. Injuries have also forced Borthwick's hand. Centre Ollie Lawrence and scrum-half Alex Mitchell have both been ruled out for the remainder of the tournament. This has prompted a likely backline reshuffle, with Tommy Freeman expected to move from wing to centre and Ben Spencer the favourite to take the No. 9 jersey. Fin Smith's selection comes on the back of stellar form for his club, Northampton Saints. He was named the RPA Players' Player of the Year for the 2023/24 season and played a pivotal role in Northampton's Premiership title win. The 22-year-old has been influential for his club, scoring 260 points in their title-winning season. Conversely, George Ford's demotion follows a difficult performance against Ireland where he was jeered by the crowd for kicking errors, twice failing to find touch from penalties. Despite being a 100-cap veteran, his recent form has been under scrutiny, opening the door for the young challenger. Historically, England has completely dominated this fixture, having never lost to Italy in 32 test matches since their first meeting in 1991. In the Six Nations, England holds a 100% win rate against the Azzurri. However, Italy have shown glimpses of promise and are no longer the guaranteed pushovers of old. In the 2024 encounter, England only managed a narrow three-point victory in Rome, signaling a growing competitiveness from the Italian side.
