Steward Injury Could Offer Smith The Chance To Start For England Against Fiji

A manus wounded to nan full-back Freddie Steward could coming Marcus Smith pinch a caller chance to commencement for England erstwhile they look Fiji astatine Twickenham connected Saturday.

Steve Borthwick’s squad will meet nan Pacific Islanders successful nan 2nd of 4 November internationals aft a comfortable opening win against Australia, but nan No 15 jersey whitethorn go a important problem for nan caput coach.

Steward, who started against nan Wallabies, received curen astatine pitchside successful nan 2nd half astatine Twickenham and appeared to beryllium successful sizeable symptom but stayed connected for 80 minutes. It is understood that Steward will not return to training until Thursday.

With nan full-backs George Furbank of Northampton and Elliot Daly of Saracens already ruled out, Steward’s setback whitethorn supply a chance for Smith.

The Harlequins backmost shifted to No 15 past play to accommodate Fin Smith astatine fly-half but was near retired against Australia. While he lacks nan commanding aerial beingness of Steward, he would connection much of a moving threat against Fiji, who traditionally favour an offloading game. Henry Slade, Tom Roebuck aliases Henry Arundell could successful mentation play astatine full-back but Smith would beryllium nan earthy choice.

Tommy Freeman started astatine No 13 against Australia while nan in-form centres Slade and Ollie Lawrence missed out, and Borthwick whitethorn look to research again earlier aiming to section a first-choice XV for nan All Blacks a week connected Saturday.

Ben Earl would relish nan opportunity to slot successful astatine wrong centre for England. Photograph: Sandra Mailer/Shutterstock

The Saracens flanker Ben Earl, who raced nether nan posts for England’s first effort against nan Wallabies, is different subordinate seen arsenic tin of making a move to midfield. Earl said he would emotion to play astatine No 12 and that location are respective hybrid options available.

“I americium conscionable trying to thief nan squad immoderate measurement I can,” he said. “We person sewage a batch of boys now who could do a bully occupation anywhere. Henry [Pollock] could do a very bully occupation connected nan wing, Ted Hill erstwhile he was progressive was very, very fast. There are a fewer boys that could do it. It is going to beryllium a spot of our squad going forward. “I would emotion it,” Earl said of perchance being selected astatine No 12. “Just playing for England is nan champion … I americium buzzing to beryllium involved.”

Reflecting connected his effort connected Saturday, Earl described nan observant mentation that goes into England’s attacking strategy for contestable kicks nether Borthwick: “The aerial crippled surely is, and will proceed to be, a monolithic spot of our squad,” he said.

“That’s why you prepare. It’s nary coincidence that Sam [Underhill] and I were location successful that position because we trained a lot, we focused a batch connected that, and you benignant of activity retired wherever nan ball’s going to go.”

Earl besides revealed that England person taken inspiration from The Last Dance, nan Netflix documentary astir nan emergence of Michael Jordan and nan Chicago Bulls. “Dennis Rodman talks astir it coming disconnected nan rim. We walk a batch of clip moving connected watching nan balls travel retired of nan hands, not to that aforesaid extent, but we talk a batch astir wherever we deliberation nan ball’s going to spell and gambling. It was nary coincidence that Henry scored that try, and that we [Earl and Underhill] had an opportunity to people ourselves.”