Steve Borthwick has dropped Owen Farrell from the England team to face France on Saturday with Marcus Smith starting at outhalf and Ellis Genge captaining the side for the first time.
As revealed by the Guardian, Farrell has been left out of an England side on merit for the first time since the 2015 World Cup with Borthwick preferring Smith, rejuvenating after a starring role for Harlequins in their victory at Twickenham over Exeter last weekend.
Farrell has been struggling for form of late, particularly from the kicking tee, but it is a seismic decision by Borthwick to bench his captain. With Courtney Lawes out with a shoulder injury, Genge – who captained Leicester to last season’s Premiership title under Borthwick – will lead the side.
Smith coming in for Farrell is the only change to the side which won in Wales last time out. The 24-year-old started the opening match against Scotland but with Farrell outside him. Eddie Jones was adamant that the Smith-Farrell partnership would come good but Borthwick seemingly feels otherwise and has given the Harlequins fly-half the chance to cement his spot in the side.
Farrell was rested a handful of times by Jones but has not been omitted on form since the opening day of the Rugby World Cup, when George Ford started the victory over Fiji. There is a further change on the bench with David Ribbans replacing the injured Lawes.
Genge leads the side from the front-row along with Jamie George and Kyle Sinckler with Maro Itoje and Ollie Chessum again the locks. Lewis Ludlam and Jack Willis – who turned out for Toulouse last Sunday – are the flankers with Alex Dombrandt at No 8. Jack van Poortvliet continues at scrumhalf while Ollie Lawrence and Henry Slade are at centre and Anthony Watson, Max Malins and Freddie Steward make up the back three.
Borthwick said: “We look forward to welcoming a strong France team to Twickenham this weekend in what will undoubtedly be another exciting encounter in this year’s Six Nations competition. Over the last three years France have built a formidable side and with just three games behind us, this England team has an excellent opportunity to test itself against one of the very best teams in the world, as we progress and build on the foundations we have put in place in the short time we have been together.
“The players selected to face our visitors are again a reflection of what I see to be the right balance of personnel for the challenge we face in this game. Marcus Smith starts at fly half and Dave Ribbans returns to the match day 23.
“Congratulations to Ellis Genge who will captain the side for the first time. Ellis will lead from the front with the sort of dedication and spirit that now rightly typifies this England team. I know that a sold-out Twickenham will be in full voice, and that our magnificent supporters will make Saturday a very special occasion with a brilliant atmosphere.”
Meanwhile, Fabien Galthié has made three changes to the France starting line-up with Jonathan Danty returning to the starting XV for the first time since the La Rochelle centre featured in the opening victory over Italy in last season’s competition, at the expense of Yoram Moefana.
Tighthead prop Dorian Aldegheri is set to make his first appearance of the competition as he comes in for the suspended Mohamed Haouas. Haouas saw red after a head-on-head contact with Scotland’s Ben White and joins fellow prop Uini Atonio on the list of those suspended.
Blindside flanker Francois Cros replaces Toulouse team-mate Anthony Jelonch, who sustained an ACL injury during last month’s win over Scotland. Jelonch’s injury is likely to rule him out of the World Cup this autumn, which France host.
Les Bleus sit fourth in the current Six Nations standings and a win over Borthwick’s side at Twickenham will see them leapfrog England in the table. – Guardian
ENGLAND: F Steward (Leicester); M Malins (Saracens), H Slade (Exeter), O Lawrence (Bath), A Watson (Leicester); M Smith (Harlequins), J van Poortvliet (Leicester); E Genge (Bristol, capt), J George (Saracens), K Sinckler (Bristol); M Itoje (Saracens), O Chessum (Leicester); L Ludlam (Northampton), J Willis (Toulouse), A Dombrandt (Harlequins).
Replacements: J Walker (Harlequins), M Vunipola (Saracens), D Cole (Leicester), D Ribbans (Northampton), B Curry (Sale), A Mitchell (Northampton), O Farrell (Saracens), H Arundell (London Irish).
FRANCE: T Ramos (Toulouse); D Penaud (Clermont), G Fickou (Racing 92), J Danty (La Rochelle), E Dumortier (Lyon); R Ntamack (Toulouse), A Dupont (Toulouse, capt); C Baille (Toulouse), J Marchand (Toulouse), D Aldegheri (Toulouse); T Flament (Toulouse), P Willemse (Montpellier); F Cros (Toulouse), C Ollivon (Toulon), G Alldritt (La Rochelle).
Replacements: P Mauvaka (Toulouse) , R Wardi (La Rochelle), S Falatea (Bordeaux Begles), R Taofifenua (Toulon), S Macalou (Stade Français), M Lucu (Bordeaux-Begles), Y Moefana (Bordeaux Begles), M Jaminet (Toulouse).
