Sir Clive Woodward tells Steve Borthwick to drop 42-cap England star
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England rugby boss Sir Clive Woodward has called on Steve Borthwick to make a crucial change for the final two rounds of the Six Nations, telling him to drop Marcus Smith in favour of George Furbank.
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In his latest Mail Online column, Woodward explained: “With George Furbank out injured, I’ve supported the Smith-Smith axis of Fin and Marcus in England’s last two games because it has been the best solution to a particular problem and they have won both matches.
“However, the Calcutta Cup again exposed the fact that Marcus Smith is a No 10 playing at full-back. He can do a decent enough job there, but he is not a specialist.
“I think it’s approaching the time where Marcus Smith has to go to Steve Borthwick and say: ‘You have to pick me in my best position and that is fly-half.’
“I feel sorry for him because he is clearly a wonderful player. But he is 26 now and should not be having to waste his prime years as an international out of position.
“If Furbank is fit for the Italy and Wales games, Borthwick has got a big decision to make between which Smith is the No 1 playmaker.
“For me Fin has taken his chance really well and has proved he is a player who really can perform under pressure. That leaves Marcus on the bench.”
Eight Players Who Flopped in Round Three of the Six Nations
The Six Nations is heating up, but while some players thrived under the pressure, others had weekends to forget.
1. Finn Russell (Scotland) – Calcutta Cup heartbreak
Russell's usually pinpoint boot abandoned him at the worst possible time, as Scotland's co-captain missed all three of his wide-angle conversions in a gut-wrenching defeat to England. While he orchestrated attacking play well and asked questions of the defence, his wayward kicking proved to be the difference between victory and defeat. His Lions hopes may have taken a hit, too.
2. Garry Ringrose (Ireland) – Seeing red in Cardiff
Ringrose's return to the Ireland starting lineup ended in disaster, as a high tackle on Ben Thomas saw his initial yellow upgraded to a 20-minute red. While he was solid defensively before that, his ill-discipline handed Wales easy points and left Ireland a man down for a crucial period. A nightmare outing that could see him banned for the rest of the tournament.
3. Marcus Smith (England) – Mixed bag against Scots
Smith's return to fly-half split opinions, with moments of brilliance overshadowed by defensive frailties. He was steamrolled by Duhan van der Merwe for Scotland's second try and sliced a clearance under pressure. While he probed from deep, his inconsistent performance left England fans divided once again.
4. Thomas Clarkson (Ireland) – Baptism of fire
Thrown into the starting lineup, Clarkson endured a brutal first Test start as Ireland's scrum crumbled in the first half. Opposite number Nicky Smith often had the upper hand, though Clarkson did win a key penalty to help extend Ireland's lead. A tough learning experience for the young tighthead.
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