[2025 Six Nations] England vs France - 08/02/25

[Rugbyfan564]

Fin Smith set to start at fly-half for England against France in Six Nations

Marcus Smith is set to start at full-back and Fin Smith at fly-half for England in Saturday's Six Nations match with France at Allianz Stadium.

www.bbc.co.uk

The BBC confirm the plans for the Smith's.

 

[Vieux Talonneur]

The BBC confirm the plans for the Smith's.

Heaven knows I'm miserable now.

 

[Scotty]

Fin Smith set to start at fly-half for England against France in Six Nations

Marcus Smith is set to start at full-back and Fin Smith at fly-half for England in Saturday's Six Nations match with France at Allianz Stadium.

www.bbc.co.uk

The BBC confirm the plans for the Smith's.

I just hope it'd Steward at 23 with Roebuck, Freeman or Sleightholme on the wings. Go Freeman and Roebuck

 

[mikebrownsauce1512]

Why cant we just play a 10 at 10 and a 15 at 15, idec if it's Marcus, Fin or George at this point. Hopefully it turns out to be a tactical master stroke.

 

[Scotty]

Why cant we just play a 10 at 10 and a 15 at 15, idec if it's Marcus, Fin or George at this point. Hopefully it turns out to be a tactical master stroke.

My guess is he wants the playmaking 15, without Furbank he's going next best in the squad. Not sure I like it because what if he's getting caught out at 15 yet Finn I going well. Do we Sub Marcus and have no 10 cover. Will we have Steward on the bench?

I really like Dan(changing the subject) but I'd have George and LCD at 2/16, Dan made some poor defensive reads last week and if making them when comng on fresh it's an issue, maybe give him a start vs italy or Wales for experience. But that's a later chat.

 

[TRF_Olyy]

 

[Scotty]

View attachment 22801

Tbf this, Faz at 12 was a good(ish) defender and playmaker but lacked some fundermental skills of an international 12.

Change defence to attack and 12 to 15 and exactly the same for Smith.

Good 15 at a certain aspect but lacks fundermentals that will be exploited

 

[Leonormous Boozer]

View attachment 22801

I love it as an outsider, old school "get your best players on the pitch" thinking. Not appropriate for today's game however.

Tbf this, Faz at 12 was a good(ish) defender and playmaker but lacked some fundermental skills of an international 12.

Change defence to attack and 12 to 15 and exactly the same for Smith.

Good 15 at a certain aspect but lacks fundermentals that will be exploited

Nail on head. I don't think France will massively exploit it, Penaud it really their only threat where MS is weak, but if they do it likely ends up in tries.

Being a bit more aggressive with the bench is how I'd treat it and is certainly the current trend amongst the top sides with their strong bench options. M Smith generally starts very well and then get's a bit more passive, England score tries early and lose the game from 35-65 mark. Getting Fin on between 45-55 mins would treat them well I think. And lots of benefits to the reverse approach also.

 

[spartan32]

Slade covers

My guess is he wants the playmaking 15, without Furbank he's going next best in the squad. Not sure I like it because what if he's getting caught out at 15 yet Finn I going well. Do we Sub Marcus and have no 10 cover. Will we have Steward on the bench?

I really like Dan(changing the subject) but I'd have George and LCD at 2/16, Dan made some poor defensive reads last week and if making them when comng on fresh it's an issue, maybe give him a start vs italy or Wales for experience. But that's a later cha

Slade covers 10. So if Marcus goes off Fin stays put and (hopefully) Steward comes in at 15. If both Smiths are nobbled then Slade moves into 10, and it may be the plan to have Daly on the bench who covers 15, centre and wing, so he comes in at centre with Steward at 15.

All this being said I still wonder whether these rumours are BS. Could SB have learnt from last weeks tactical error of releasing the team sheet too early, and be playing a cheeky smoke screen blinder to throw off the French? Doubt it, but heres hoping...

 

[mikebrownsauce1512]

All this being said I still wonder whether these rumours are BS. Could SB have learnt from last weeks tactical error of releasing the team sheet too early, and be playing a cheeky smoke screen blinder to throw off the French? Doubt it, but heres hoping...

I hope so

 

[Which Tyler]

Midi Olympique say this'll be the side to face England:

1. Gros
2. Mauvaka
3. Atonio
4. Roumat
5. Meafou
6. Cros
7. Boudehent
8. Alldritt

09. Dupont (c)
10. Jalibert
11. Bielle-Biarrey
12. Moefana
13. Barassi
14. Penaud
15. Ramos

16. Marchand, 17. Baille, 18. Tatafu ou Colombe, 19. Auradou, 20. Guillard, 21. Jegou
22. Lucu, 23. Gailleton

 

[Vieux Talonneur]

Nail on head. I don't think France will massively exploit it, Penaud it really their only threat where MS is weak, but if they do it likely ends up in tries.

Fra know Smith's not a FB by trade so I'd be amazed if they don't massively test him early on. It's not just the obvious high ball stuff, but also trying to expose a lack of instinctive positioning for the tactical stuff.

A few posts back I mentioned Fickou on the wing in the 19 match. There were gaps behind him that we just kept playing on and the game was over by half time. Bit like the Australian scrum in years gone past - we found a weakness and brutally exposed it. Fra will at least look to see if Smith can be similarly exposed.

 

[Jakedood]

Smith plays like a full back quite regularly for England in terms of laying in the backfield, and has for Quins regularly enough that I think he could be okay positionally. We've seen McKenzie look good in this role for the AB's, but Smith needs to be incredibly brave under a high ball. Penaud is solid under it, but the French back 3 isn't the tallest overall and should allow Smith to get by if he throws himself at it.
Fin Smith is intriguing. England have looked like they struggle to create an attacking structure over multiple phases with Marcus Smith, and a lot of recent comments from players have kind of pointed to him not creating space for others as well as Fin does. It'll be intriguing if we see more ball in hand time from Ollie Lawrence and the wingers under Fin, but it's certainly an aggressive move. And for my money, Borthwick needs to be brave in his decision making.

Rugby in this day and age requires a multitude of decision makers in attack, and I dont think England's shape will change an awful lot bar Marcus maybe operating behind a second pod rather than the first pod in attack. Furbank is a loss for England in that regard and I'm not sure Steward is that strong in the game management sense which may be another reason why Marcus is pushed to FB but we'll see.

It's under the radar, but Tom Willis starting this week is brilliant and far quicker tan I expected it to happen. He's been such a nuisance in so many capacities this season and I can't wait to see what he brings this weekend.

I also am slightly torn, but England will need more threat on lineout ball and I'd be tempted to start Chessum in the second row with Itoje. he's shown massive impact in open field, it's the scrummaging prowess vs Atonio on the TH that may be more of a cause for concern, but I would be very very tempted

 

[spartan32]

If it were my team to pick for Saturday I think I'd go:

1 Genge
2 LCD
3 Stuart
4 Itoje
5 Martin
6 T. Curry
7 Earl
8 Willis

9 Mitchell
10 Marcus Smith
11 Freeman
12 Slade
13 Lawrence
14 Sleighthome
15 Steward

I would have said that this team sort of picks itself, until the rumour mill started turning. The bench may be a little more tricky to get right. The french are going to look to run things, and so it would seem sensible to have a 5/3 split so that there are enough fresh legs in the back in the final 20 to stay competitive. Of course, if the England game plan is to choke the life out of France by playing tight, then 6/2, or even a crazy Rassie 7/1 style split could be the ay to go. Try a England Bomb squad approach. Of course that only works if we are close towards the final quarter. If the french have stretched beyond 2 scores then I' not sure a pack focused attack saves the day.

I suspect George will be on the bench (assuming he doesnt start in which case LCD on bench). With the above Fin Smith has to be there, and CCS for back row. I suppose Chessum is nailed on. The rest I' not sure of.

All academic if SB gambles on two 10s approach. I know it works for NZ, but they are them, and we............well we are something else.

 

[Vieux Talonneur]

Midi Olympique say this'll be the side to face England:

1. Gros
2. Mauvaka
3. Atonio
4. Roumat
5. Meafou
6. Cros
7. Boudehent
8. Alldritt

09. Dupont (c)
10. Jalibert
11. Bielle-Biarrey
12. Moefana
13. Barassi
14. Penaud
15. Ramos

16. Marchand, 17. Baille, 18. Tatafu ou Colombe, 19. Auradou, 20. Guillard, 21. Jegou
22. Lucu, 23. Gailleton


View attachment 22802

What's to worry about?

Just the 2 front 5 over 140kg.

Just a whole back row over 1.90m

Just a reserve front row that we would start en masse.

Just being orchestrated by the world's best player.

And a backline that includes probably the world's best winger, probably one of the fastest wingers and probably one of the best goal kickers.

 

[Reiser99]

It's just chucking **** at a wall and seeing what sticks.

 

[spartan32]

What's to worry about?

Just the 2 front 5 over 140kg.

Just a whole back row over 1.90m

Just a reserve front row that we would start en masse.

Just being orchestrated by the world's best player.

And a backline that includes probably the world's best winger, probably one of the fastest wingers and probably one of the best goal kickers.

And they've got the Holy Grail.....********!!

 

[BPM]

And this probably wouldn't have happened at all if Furbank hadn't got hurt, but he has.

In many respects it's a positive move, acknowledging M as our most creative attacker and giving him the open space he relishes. But as we've said there are potential downsides - he plays there less for his club than Watson ever did…..

While M has been at the heart of most good things we've done, the midfield has generally been pretty clunky. Maybe that's just because we've got the wrong centre combo, but that's who SB seems intent on playing. F may be a little more conventional which the centres may find easier to read and gel with. At the end of the day it's about how combinations work and you never know until you try.

I can see the rationale, but I'm not in favour.

I rate Fin Smith but shifting Marcus to 15 is a shabby way to treat him. Not really sure he can win here? He plays badly and gets criticised when people forget he's not a 15. He plays well and there's a higher change he gets stuck there until someone exposes him for not being a 15 and then gets dropped.

If Fin has a bad game, I guarantee we'll hear 'France is a tough debut start. He needs another go to be sure', 'the pack let him down' etc. The kind of excuses Marcus doesn't get.

 

[LeinsterMan (NotTigsMan)]

Give me

9. Randall
10. F.Smith
11. Freeman
12. Steward
13. Slade
14. Lawrence
15. M.Smith

 

[Lé Ddanno]

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