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Fin Smith set to start as Borthwick shakes up EnglandImage source, Getty ImagesImage caption, Smith started England’s final four 2025 Six Nations games but Ford grasped the fly-half shirt last summerByChris JonesRugby union Correspondent and Mike HensonBBC Sport rugby union news reporter
Head coach Steve Borthwick is set to make sweeping changes to his backline as he attempts to revive England’s Six Nations campaign in Italy on Saturday.
Two injuries and one change of role could mean not one position in the backline is filled by the same player as it was in England’s previous game against Ireland.
Northampton’s Fin Smith is in line to start at fly-half in place of George Ford while Gloucester’s Seb Atkinson is poised to be England’s inside centre in Rome.
With outside centre Ollie Lawrence ruled out with a knee problem, Tommy Freeman is likely to move in from the wing and resume his midfield role.
That means Tom Roebuck is set to return to the starting line-up to fill in for Freeman, with Cadan Murley tipped for a start on the other wing in place of Henry Arundell.
George Furbank was expected to come in at full-back, but instead Marcus Smith and Elliot Daly are thought to be in the running to supplant Freddie Steward.
The Leicester full-back was replaced at the end of the first half as England fell behind en route to an eventual 42-21 defeat by Ireland.
With Alex Mitchell injured, Ben Spencer is understood to be the starting scrum-half.
England centurion Danny Care says utility back Daly’s experience could be vital in a high-pressure game.
“He’s got a big left boot,” Care told Rugby Union Weekly of Daly, who has won 74 caps for England and toured three times with the British and Irish Lions.
“He’s got a great aerial game as well. He’s absolutely been there and done it before in the biggest of Test matches.”
Spencer made three starts for England last year, all in victories over Argentina.
“He’s just a real safe pair of hands,” reported former scrum-half Care of the 33-year-old Bath scrum-half.
“He’s got potentially the best kicking game in our league and one of the best in the world in relieving a load of pressure when needs be, who gets the game and understands momentum.”
England are the only Six Nations team that Italy have never beaten, but the Azzurri will go into the match full of confidence following three impressive showings in the tournament.
In contrast to England they have a settled backline, including star centres Tommaso Menoncello and Ignacio Brex, who looks set to return to the side.
A defeat by Italy would send England away to runaway leaders France on the final round needing a major upset to avert a single-win Six Nations campaign, their worst return in a quarter of a century since the tournament’s expansion.
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