Sir Clive Woodward names his England backline – and it's raising eyebrows!
Yesterday at 06:58 AM
Former England boss snubs Ollie Lawrence and Henry Slade in bold 2025 Six Nations backline shake-up
Join the RUCK's WhatsApp community here and get the latest news sent straight to your messages.
Ex-England coach Sir Clive Woodward has dropped a selection bombshell by leaving out established stars Ollie Lawrence and Henry Slade.
Instead, he's backing a youthful, dynamic Northampton-heavy backline to ignite England's Six Nations campaign.
"England need creativity to unleash their back-three," he explained. "Fin Smith is ideal to step up at 12. Transitioning from 10 to 12 is much smoother than 10 to 15, and Fin's weekly experience at fly-half will only sharpen his threat in the centres."
The former boss highlighted Smith's resilience: "He might not look the biggest, but his defensive game shows he can handle the physical demands of inside centre. I think he'd relish the role."
Big changes for England's World Cup ambitions
With the clock ticking toward France 2027, he's urging Steve Borthwick to make bold moves: "England don't look like a World Cup-winning side right now. Things need to shift up a gear."
His vision includes an all-Saints midfield pairing: "Fin and Tommy Freeman together would bring something fresh. Neither plays there regularly, but it's time for a club-and-country alignment to make it work."
Blistering pace out wide
The plan doesn't stop there. "Cadan Murley and Ollie Sleightholme are pure finishers. I'd start them on the wings. Even with Furbank and Feyi-Waboso unavailable, England have enough firepower to make Ireland sit up and take notice."
His Six Nations dream team is all about pace, skill, and unpredictability, aiming to strike fear into rivals:
England Backline for 2025 Six Nations
15. George Hendy (Northampton Saints)
14. Ollie Sleightholme (Northampton Saints)
13. Tommy Freeman (Northampton Saints)
12. Fin Smith (Northampton Saints)
11. Cadan Murley (Harlequins)
10. Marcus Smith (Harlequins)
9. Alex Mitchell (Northampton Saints)
Can you name every member of the 2017 British and Irish Lions?
From thrilling tries to hard-fought battles against the All Blacks, this squad etched their names in rugby history by securing a memorable drawn series.
Think you know everything about this iconic group of players? Test your knowledge with our quiz and see if you’re a true Lions fan! Whether you’re a casual supporter or a rugby fanatic, it’s time to roar with pride and prove your Lions IQ.
Get ready to dive into questions about the players, their clubs, and the unforgettable tour moments. Let's kick off!
The post Sir Clive Woodward names his England backline – and it's raising eyebrows! appeared first on Ruck.
