Finn Smith to start from the Fly for England against France – Irvine Times

Finn Smith will make his first appearance in T -shirt number 10 after winning all seven of his hats as a substitute, his namesake moved to a complete back to fit the change in the fly.

Chief coach Steve Bortwick made a total of five changes, two of them positional, for the second Allianz Stadium match.

Ollie Slagholme returns to the left wing after Kadan Murley was excluded from a leg injury suffering from 27-22 defeat from Ireland in Dublin last Saturday, which could end his tournament.

Tom Willis makes her first start to number eight as part of a rear -row adjustment that Ben Earl sees move to Openside, and Ben Curry descends to a bench supported by the return of veterans Jamie George and Elliot Dali.

England is already on the back leg in the six nations after fading from the Dublin dispute and hoping that Smiths, tandem, will reach its full potential against France.

Finn Smith is regarded as a more strategic half of the fly, which can get the most out of his back line, while Marcus Smith will be expected to make a threat to the counterattack from deep.

However, the selection is a gambling when the chief master of the Air Freddie Steward makes a way on a full back to leave the potential England exposed in the air.

Marcus Smith will be littered with kicks from France and his position in the position is still limited, with the experiment being tested for the first time in the World Cup in 2023 and has only used periodically since.

Sleightholme was a pity to miss its selection against Ireland after ending the autumn in possession of the number 11 T -shirt, but now it has the opportunity to add an impressive strike of four attempts in five tests.

Willis is an invading force on both sides of the Saracen ball this season and he won his second hat from the bench in Dublin.

France has opened the six nations with a 43-0 route to Wales and are expected to continue their offer for the title by sending England.

Team of England: M Smith (Harlequins); T Freeman (Northampton Saints), O Lawrence (Rugby Bath), H Slade (Exeter Chiefs), O Sleightholme (Northampton Saints); F Smith (Northampton Saints), Mitchell (Northampton Saints); E Genge (Bristol Bears), L Cowan-Dickie (Sale Sale Alkks), W Stuart (Bath Rugby), M Itoje (Saracens), G Martin (Leicester Tigers), T Curry (Sale Alkks), B Earl, B Earl T Willis (Saracens).

Replace: J George (Saracens), F Baxter (Harlequins), J Heyes (Leicester Tigers), O Chessum (Leicester Tigers), C Cunningham-South (Harlequins), BRIST) E DALY (Sarazzi).