George Ford looks likely to be handed the No 10 jersey for England’s Six Nations opener against Italy on Saturday, edging out Fin Smith in the battle to start at fly-half. The uncapped Exeter wing Immanuel Feyi‑Waboso is also likely to be among the replacements in Rome.
Fraser Dingwall, meanwhile, is ready for a long-awaited debut at inside-centre and the Auckland-born Ethan Roots – who has represented the Maori All Blacks – is also in line for a start at blindside flanker.
After Marcus Smith was ruled out with a calf injury this week, Steve Borthwick faced a decision between opting for the experience of Ford, who is approaching his 92nd cap, or Fin Smith, who is just 21 but is the form fly-half in England and enjoying a fine season with Northampton.
Initial indications were that Fin Smith was in pole position but a leg injury to his Northampton teammate Alex Mitchell has complicated matters. With Mitchell unable to train this week, Danny Care is primed for the No 9 jersey while Ford is expected to partner him in the half-backs. Fin Smith would make his debut if he comes off the bench while Mitchell will have a fitness test on Thursday morningand could also be named among the replacements.
For Feyi-Waboso, who is also eligible for Wales, a place on the bench and the opportunity of a first cap would represent a meteoric rise, the 21-year-old having turned out for Taunton Titans less than a year ago. It is believed he was pencilled in for a place in the squad before England’s injury crisis hit this week and, unless that has led Borthwick into a rethink, Feyi-Waboso appears poised for the No 23 jersey.
Elsewhere, Dingwall, who is part of his 10th England squad but has yet to take to the field, is set to line up at No 12 with Henry Slade back in the side at outside-centre, having been omitted from the World Cup squad last year.
Dingwall, 24, finally gets his chance with Manu Tuilagi and Ollie Lawrence both out because of injury. Poised to join Dingwall in the backline is his Northampton teammate Tommy Freeman, Elliot Daly and Freddie Steward.
The expected selections of Dingwall and Freeman are reward for Northampton’s fine form this season with the Saints sat top of the Premiership. “He [Dingwall] might not be as big as Manu but he is certainly willing to roll his sleeves up and throw himself into the defensive line,” the England assistant coach Kevin Sinfield said.
“He is very good at scheming, his pass selection is excellent. He gives a different option of moving the ball, but I think he provides that grunt up front. He is not the biggest of blokes but he is one who runs above his weight – he can find a hole.”
In the forward pack, Roots’s promotion represents a rapid rise after joining Exeter from the Ospreys in the summer. He is eligible through his English father and is ready to come straight into the side, forming a back row with Sam Underhill – man of the match in the World Cup bronze medal match against Argentina – and Ben Earl.
When naming Roots in his squad for the Six Nations, Borthwick said: “I remember coaching against the Ospreys in Europe, and saw this player and thought: ‘He’s a really good player.’ Effectively then I thought not too much more of it, then we were in Le Touquet [during the World Cup] and I was walking through the dining room and saw Richard Hill at his computer watching the Premiership Rugby Cup games.
“He pulled me over and said: ‘Come and watch this player for the next two minutes.’ I watched him with Hilly, and it was outstanding – the work rate, physicality he brought to it. Hilly said ‘track this guy’. If Richard Hill tells me to track a back‑row forward, I’m listening.”
In the front row, Jamie George will captain the side for the first time with Joe Marler and Will Stuart the expected props. Ollie Chessum’s likely partner in the second row, Maro Itoje, has signed a new long‑term deal with Saracens and has been offered an enhanced “hybrid” contract by the Rugby Football Union.
