England Six Nations Squad 2025

[dirty harry]

NO, JUST NO.

All change for England: Borthwick plots full-back role for talisman Marcus Smith

Under-pressure head coach is pondering big changes for the Six Nations campaign after a disappointing autumn

www.theguardian.com

I'd personally leave him on the bench, in a glass case that reads 'in case of emergency down by 4,10 to go with broken play'

Is he really England's 'Talisman'?

 

[Lé Ddanno]

NO, JUST NO.

All change for England: Borthwick plots full-back role for talisman Marcus Smith

Under-pressure head coach is pondering big changes for the Six Nations campaign after a disappointing autumn

www.theguardian.com

Lmao (darkly)

 

[Ragey Erasmus]

Is it really so difficult to play players in their club positions...? He's not a 15 and there are better 15s out there.

Now there is more competition in the air, do we really want to play a short player with limited experience catching high balls there?

 

[Rugbyfan564]

I feel like this Six Nafions might be a disaster.

 

[BPM]

I'd personally leave him on the bench, in a glass case that reads 'in case of emergency down by 4,10 to go with broken play'

Is he really England's 'Talisman'?

IMO, yes. He was easily our best player in the Autumn. I've read a lot of stuff about him 'failing to bring our centres into the game', but I think there's a ton of reasons for that, most of which don't start with Marcus.

For me, the biggest difference between a pretty good attack in the Summer and a fairly poor one in the Autumn, was Mitchell. He keeps defences honest because he offers a genuine sniping threat and a quick delivery and that makes a huge difference for the 10.

I don't want to see Marcus at 15 but I definitely don't want to see Steward on the wing.

 

[Saintjay]

Please don't let the tactical evolution of this six nations for England be Smith at 15 and a new captain. I really think it might be.

I like Steward saying that even as a Saints fan. Yet on the wing defending one vs one with a quick and agile winger against him i don't know. His attack and passing is better, he's not going to lose much in the air.

Smith as are next best fullback. I really don't see it.

So I'll be a no on both tbh.

 

[TRF_Olyy]

Mitchell's knee today is a concern, he did play on after the injury so hopefully nothing bad but seen similar injuries turn up bad things in the follow up scan in the past

Sleightholme not playing yet is also a concern, but Murley and Roebuck both in very good form atm (I'd have them both in the 23 for Ireland, probably start Roebuck for the aerial and Murley off the bench vs tired legs)

Chessum starting at 6 tomorrow, very interested to see what kind of condition he's in - wonder if England might release him for club duty next week for some more minutes under his belt?

Biggest concern, obviously, is the threat of a 14. Steward, 15. Smith, 23. Daly and a 6:2 bench for the 6N

It's a shame England don't have any tall wingers who are very good in the air so that we don't have to shift a slow fullback out wide....



Any other injuries to keep an eye on this round?

 

[OllyM97]

Mitchell's knee today is a concern, he did play on after the injury so hopefully nothing bad but seen similar injuries turn up bad things in the follow up scan in the past

Sleightholme not playing yet is also a concern, but Murley and Roebuck both in very good form atm (I'd have them both in the 23 for Ireland, probably start Roebuck for the aerial and Murley off the bench vs tired legs)

Chessum starting at 6 tomorrow, very interested to see what kind of condition he's in - wonder if England might release him for club duty next week for some more minutes under his belt?

Biggest concern, obviously, is the threat of a 14. Steward, 15. Smith, 23. Daly and a 6:2 bench for the 6N

It's a shame England don't have any tall wingers who are very good in the air so that we don't have to shift a slow fullback out wide....



Any other injuries to keep an eye on this round?

That better not be anything major or we're absolutely screwed. I think Mitchell is one of our most important players now. It's so glaringly obvious how much poorer we look when he's not playing.

 

[Don't Skip Leg Day]

Coles went off again with an injury. Can't remember what it was now he's had no luck this season at all.

 

[Scotty]

NO, JUST NO.

All change for England: Borthwick plots full-back role for talisman Marcus Smith

Under-pressure head coach is pondering big changes for the Six Nations campaign after a disappointing autumn

www.theguardian.com

I have no issue with Smith going to FB at the end of the game to add an attacking edge if we are chasing but he is not a FB, I don't mind Freddie moving to the wing sometimes with say Freeman covering FB so he can chase kicks down the wing but he is not a winger.

Mitchell Smith
Lawrence Slade
Freeman Steward Sleightholme(or Roebuck and we have a very strong back 3 under the high ball)

JVP
Smith
Roebuck/Sleightholm

Not sure Slades earned it but he will be in as we didn't bring a real 12.

Happy Daly is in the squad but he's a squad player rather than first team player.

 

[Vieux Talonneur]

Reading the reports, sounds like CCS was back in form yesterday.

 

[Don't Skip Leg Day]

How many tests do we give Smith Slade Lawrence as a combo before we decide it's not working?

 

[BPM]

Reading the reports, sounds like CCS was back in form yesterday.

Yeah. I've only seen the highlights, but based upon the comments I've seen from Quins fans who saw the whole game, he was very good yesterday.

For context, most Quins fans have had Chisholm ahead of him on merit in recent weeks after CCS had a couple of games where he was off the pace. We played Chisholm at lock yesterday with CCS coming back in but sounds like he definitely timed his return to form well for England.

Murley excellent as usual - not just as an individual threat but also playing a big part in some of our best attacking moves.

If Selightholme is out, Murley vs. Roebuck is an interesting battle.

 

[BPM]

How many tests do we give Smith Slade Lawrence as a combo before we decide it's not working?

Already too long IMO. If we are indeed moving away from the blitz, Slade is lucky to be there.

 

[higgik]

Already too long IMO. If we are indeed moving away from the blitz, Slade is lucky to be there.

Not having 2 strong running centres with Smith M is a mistake. He needs running options making good lines for him to pick.

 

[BPM]

Definitely. The main justification for Slade being picked is his experience leading a blitz defence. I know he can be a good playmaker, but we've rarely seen that with England (in fairness to him, that's at least partly because we don't use our centres in that capacity) and he's offered very little.

I would have been interested to see Lozowski at 13, but with the squad we have, I'd like to see Dingwall or Beard get a run. The former is probably a better all rounder, but if we stick with Marcus at 10 (I hope we do), then there is a decent argument to pick Beard and Murley to maximise familiarity/club combinations.

 

[Ragey Erasmus]

Reading the reports, sounds like CCS was back in form yesterday.

He really fought for extra meters after contact all the time.

 

[Rugbyfan564]

The media are split about if to expect it to be Steward starting agaisnt Ireland or M Smith. I think for Ireland it would be more risky to start M Smith there but I think Borthwick might do so.

 

[Vieux Talonneur]

G

He really fought for extra meters after contact all the time.

Good to hear. And even if you're playing a fast whizzy style it's a hell of a lot easier if your forwards have got you a little bit on the front foot and perhaps tied in an extra defender. Every team still needs their piano shifters.

There's been a bit of criticism of CCS's fitness, but I'd guess it's more tiring doing the close combat stuff (attack and defence) than galloping around in the open spaces. You can recharge lungs quicker than muscles.