A hand injury to Freddie Steward has created a potential opportunity for Marcus Smith to start for England in their upcoming November international against Fiji at Twickenham. Steward, who played the full 80 minutes in England’s opening victory over Australia, received treatment for a hand injury in the second half but continued despite considerable pain. With Steward’s availability now uncertain, Smith could be called upon to fill the full-back position.
England’s head coach Steve Borthwick is already facing a shortage of options in the full-back role, as both George Furbank and Elliot Daly have been ruled out of contention for the match against Fiji. This leaves Smith, who has previously played at full-back for his club Harlequins, as a natural candidate to step in. Although Smith lacks the aerial prowess of Steward, he offers a greater attacking threat with his running game, which could be useful against a Fiji side that traditionally plays a fast-paced, offloading style of rugby.
In a recent shift, Smith moved to full-back last season to accommodate Fin Smith at fly-half, but he was left out of the squad for the Australia match. This injury to Steward may allow Smith to reassert himself in the starting lineup for England. Other potential options for full-back include Henry Slade, Tom Roebuck, or Henry Arundell, but Smith would likely be the preferred choice due to his skill set and experience in the position.
Ben Earl, the Saracens flanker who scored England’s first try against Australia, has also been mentioned as a versatile player capable of playing in different positions, including inside centre. Earl expressed his eagerness to contribute to the team in any role, highlighting the flexibility of England’s squad. He revealed that the team has been working intensively on their aerial game, with a focus on contestable kicks and positioning, inspired by the famous “Last Dance” documentary about Michael Jordan and the Chicago Bulls.
The injury to Steward could further test England’s depth and flexibility as Borthwick seeks to fine-tune his squad ahead of a crucial match against New Zealand the following week.
