Steve Borthwick insists that Owen Farrell has reacted in “impeccable” fashion to being dropped and says that the 31-year-old will assume the England captaincy as quickly as he enters the fray against France.
As first revealed by Telegraph Sport, Borthwick, the England head coach, has picked Marcus Smith at fly-half within the sole change to the facet that began a 20-10 victory over Wales final month.
David Ribbans has taken the place of Courtney Lawes, his injured Northampton Saints colleague, on the bench. For spherical 4 of the Six Nations this weekend, Ellis Genge will lead the team; however solely till Farrell’s introduction.
“I need what I’ve seen from him each minute of our preparation this week, which has been first-class,” Borthwick stated of Farrell on Thursday afternoon.
“I’ve little doubt that he’ll proceed to be the unbelievable chief he’s and a implausible, world-class participant. This week, he begins the sport on the bench, not within the XV; however he’ll end the sport and the second he steps on that pitch, he would be the captain of this workforce.”
Borthwick said that Farrell “led the workforce brilliantly” on the Principality Stadium, the place England registered their first win since 2017 and their largest for 20 years regardless of their skipper lacking four kicks at goal worth a cumulative total of 10 points. Nevertheless, Borthwick additionally defined that choice was a part of him staying “true to myself” as a coach. Farrell’s response, he stated, has been spectacular.
“Owen has been impeccable in the way in which he has ready this week,” Borthwick added. “Coaching onerous himself, main conferences, he’s been world class. I imply that not simply as a participant, world class in all features of preparation this week. He’s a implausible chief. I believe in case you had been a fly on the wall this week, you wouldn’t be capable to inform whether or not Owen was beginning at ten or was going to complete the sport at ten or at 12. You wouldn’t be capable to inform, his preparation has been unbelievable.”
Whereas acknowledging the potential harm brought on by missed kicks in “tight Check matches”, Borthwick stated that “wider features” had been weighed up within the determination to begin Smith over Farrell. Each males, Borthwick stated, have been kicking “brilliantly” in the course of the build-up.
Requested whether or not he thought-about the change “daring”, Borthwick appeared to quote his time at Leicester Tigers. Simply final season, he picked Richard Wigglesworth, the then-38-year-old scrum-half, to begin a victorious Premiership ultimate.
“In the event you had been to trace all of the groups I’ve chosen there have been some fairly daring choices,” he stated.
“I will go away you to trace again to final yr’s Premiership finals and the choices I’ve made. I’ve tried to choose the appropriate workforce for that recreation, I do not contemplate how will probably be perceived by the surface.
“The gamers and supporters deserve that as a result of each recreation issues for England. I consider that is the appropriate workforce given all of the concerns.”
