Steve Borthwick has pinpointed Henry Slade as the key to shifting Owen Farrell back to fly-half for England in the Six Nations.
Head coach Borthwick insisted moving Farrell to 10 and dropping Marcus Smith for Sunday’s Italy clash is just a one-off designed to combat the Azzurri’s specific strengths.
He also admitted that Exeter playmaker Slade’s recovery from a hip issue allowed for a more expansive selection consideration this week.
Borthwick’s full thoughts on his preferred starting lineup will only be gleaned over time, but Slade’s immediate return underscores the former England captain’s high acclaim for the 52-cap inside back.
Farrell will play fly-half for England for the first time since the 2021 Six Nations, with Ollie Lawrence and Slade forming an all-new centre pairing that, on paper at least, offers intriguing balance.
“Having Henry Slade available this week has been very important, having his distribution skills and his left-foot kicking option is also a great strength,” said Borthwick. “It’s a strength to have right and left-footers in the backline.
“I look back to some of the games in the first period of time I was in the England set-up, and I look at the way he played in some very, very important games. He starred in some really important games.
“I’ve been out of the set-up for two or three years, and coming back, I can’t tell you how impressed I’ve been with him.
“The conversations I’ve had with him, the determination he’s had to be in this team, the concern he had with the red card that was rescinded, his concern of not being available and then an injury.
“Just seeing how passionate he is, he’s clearly more experienced now, a real seasoned campaigner, and he has an outstanding skill set.
“Ollie Lawrence brings a certain skill set and he’s been showing that, I think we’d all agree watching the Premiership this season he’s been tremendous.
“So I want him to bring that skill set in the way he carries the ball and the way he also defends in the physical manner he does.”
Borthwick’s official line on favouring Farrell at fly-half for this weekend remains that England are selecting their lineups based solely on their specific opponents.
But Slade’s return indicates a different direction of travel. Were Leicester’s Dan Kelly fit, he would perhaps usurp Lawrence at 12.
Harlequins tyro Smith will be itching to impress off the bench, with England determined to make up for last weekend’s 29-23 defeat by Scotland.
“I’ve decided to change that combination for this week; as ever when I pick a team, it’s a team we want to field against a specific opposition,” said Borthwick.
“That’s the way the team will be picked, and that’s what my policy has always been. We’re not looking into games and aspects in the months to come.”
