Get ready for a thrilling twist in the 2026 Six Nations as England's team gears up for a major overhaul against Italy!
Head coach Steve Borthwick is pulling out all the stops, preparing to revolutionize his backline in a bold attempt to revive England's campaign. With injuries and role changes, not a single position in the backline is expected to remain unchanged from the previous game against Ireland.
Northampton's Fin Smith is set to take the fly-half position, replacing George Ford, while Gloucester's Seb Atkinson is poised to step into the role of inside centre in Rome. Outside centre Ollie Lawrence's absence due to a knee injury opens the door for Tommy Freeman to move into the midfield, with Tom Roebuck returning to the starting lineup to fill Freeman's spot. Cadan Murley is tipped to start on the opposite wing, replacing Henry Arundell.
The full-back position is up for grabs too, with Marcus Smith and Elliot Daly in the running to replace Freddie Steward. Steward was replaced at halftime during England's 42-21 defeat by Ireland, and with Alex Mitchell injured, Ben Spencer is expected to start at scrum-half.
England centurion Danny Care highlights the importance of utility back Daly's experience in high-pressure games, praising his left boot and aerial skills.
"He's been there and done it before in the biggest Test matches," Care said of Daly, who has 74 caps for England and toured with the British and Irish Lions three times.
But here's where it gets controversial...
Steve Borthwick, often underestimated as a selector, has shown his funky side by switching between three fly-halves in just over a year, bringing wingers and flankers into the centres, and experimenting with various back-three options. However, completely overhauling the backline, even with some forced changes, would be his most radical move yet.
Last year's buzzword, cohesion, has been sacrificed for new faces and untested combinations. Seb Atkinson and Tommy Freeman have never played together as a centre partnership.
The only time Atkinson and Fin Smith started together for Worcester's first team was in a home loss to Harlequins back in February 2022, before they went their separate ways.
So, is this shake-up justified? England's recent performances in the Six Nations have lacked tactical agility and accuracy, a stark contrast to their 12-game winning streak.
England's management may question the value of developing squad depth if they don't utilize it to stimulate competition and shake things up when the first-choice players falter.
But such drastic changes come with a cost.
England's players have often spoken about their strong team spirit and culture, but this slump in form will truly test their unity. While those dropped may have little to complain about based on their recent performances, some will undoubtedly feel that their winning streak credit should protect them from being culled.
How will this new backline gel, and will the squad rally together for their challenging trip to Rome? It's a story that's sure to keep us on the edge of our seats!
