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Steve Borthwick has hinted that Marcus Smith could be used at full-back during the Six Nations as the England rugby head coach considers his playmaking options.
Smith spent the entirety of the Autumn Nations Series as Borthwick’s starting fly half, impressing in a lean campaign for the side.
However, his ability to play at full-back could offer an intriguing tactical dimension with George Furbank likely to miss the entire tournament after fracturing his arm in December.
Both Fin Smith, Furbank’s teammate at Northampton, and Sale’s George Ford have been in good form for their clubs, raising the possibility of Borthwick starting one of the pair at 10 in England’s opener against Ireland on 1 February.
And having reinvented Smith as a full-back during England’s 2023 World Cup campaign, Borthwick hinted that a return to the role could be a possibility over the next few weeks.
“I think Marcus is a 10 who can play 15,” Borthwick explained. “That’s a conversation I had with Marcus. I think he sees that the same way.
“I know his preferred position is 10. I also see, we discussed this at length, is a player who in space is incredibly dangerous. And I’ve started him at 15 in England shirt, but most recently started him at 10 and then moved to 15 later in games. Having that versatility is really important. I think he’s a 10 who can play at 15.”
While Borthwick’s squad was relatively short on fresh faces, Harlequins pair Cadan Murley and Oscar Beard both earned inclusion and will hope to press for a debut having been named in previous squads without earning a cap.
Number eight Tom Willis, who made his only England appearance in a warm up game ahead of the World Cup, is more likely to challenge for a spot in the 23 having produced outstanding form for Saracens this season.
“Tom has put in a lot of hard work to developing speed, movement, and agility,” Borthwick said. “He’s always been a formidable ball carrier and a tough tackling player.
“When a player goes away and shows they want to work on these things, I see that, and he deserves immense credit. Players with that level of hunger, that level of desire is exactly the type player I want in this England squad.”
There was no place in the squad for veteran prop Dan Cole with younger options prioritised on the tighthead. The England head coach insisted, though, that there could yet be a future at international level for the 37-year-old, who has not retired from Test rugby.
Borthwick said: “I’ve had a number of conversations with Dan and when I spoke to him yesterday and had the conversation with him, it was ‘make sure your phone is on and you are in good condition, because I need you to be ready’.
“He has absolutely assured me that he will be ready to go. He has been absolutely brilliant. The influence he has had within this squad has been brilliant with helping players to develop. As a senior player in the squad that is really important and I thanked him for that. I’m sure that if needed he is going to be ready to come back in.”
