.png)
3 hours ago
7
Injuries to Tom Roebuck and Freddie Steward look likely to trigger an eye-catching reshuffle in England’s backline for the Test against Fiji on Saturday. Marcus Smith, Henry Arundell and Ollie Lawrence are all in contention to be involved, with Manny Feyi-Waboso potentially the solitary starting back-three survivor from the win against Australia on last Saturday.
The head coach, Steve Borthwick, had been hoping to announce his starting XV early this week only for that plan to be mothballed when Roebuck limped out of training prematurely on Tuesday with an ankle problem. Steward has not trained so far this week after sustaining a finger injury late in the win against the Wallabies, opening the way for Smith to replace him at full-back.
Roebuck was an influential figure against Australia, his aerial skills contributing to two of England’s four tries, but if he is ruled unavailable England are not short of options. In an ideal world the management are keen to continue their experiment of deploying Tommy Freeman at centre, which leaves Arundell and Cadan Murley vying for slots in the matchday 23. And if the dancing Smith starts at 15, a bigger ball-carrying presence such as Lawrence would offer useful midfield balance.
Arundell, meanwhile, has not played for England since departing for the French Top 14 following the 2023 World Cup, during which he scored five tries in a single game against Chile. He has been in excellent form this season for Bath and, with his 23rd birthday looming on Saturday, is itching for another chance to show off his startling pace at the highest level.
“It’s great to have him back and to see him score a crazy amount of tries already in the Prem,” the England assistant coach Kevin Sinfield said. “He’s been good in training and is banging on the door.”
If Arundell, Feyi-Waboso and Smith do all start they would rank alongside the most elusive and attack-minded back three England have fielded. Sinfield is also convinced that Smith can develop into a top international full-back if he is not needed at fly-half, particularly in the absence of the injured George Furbank and Elliot Daly. “I think he is a world-class full-back,” Sinfield said.
“A big part of his Lions inclusion, so I am told, was down to the fact he could cover 15. So we have got a world-class 10 but also a world-class 15. He is different to a lot of other full-backs worldwide but as you know he can beat people and he can be that second ball player for us.
“Marcus’s preference, and I totally understand this, would be to play at 10 but you look across rugby, rugby league and football and there is an understanding that people play out of position from time to time to try and get your best players on the field.
after newsletter promotion
“You only have to look back to the England football ‘golden generation’ when they tried all those different combinations but I don’t think anyone actually said to them: ‘You guys work it out.’ They probably would have done if they were told that.”
Sinfield has played with and coached some seriously good players in both rugby codes so it was also a major compliment when he compared Feyi-Waboso to a cross-code legend. “He reminds me a lot of Jason Robinson,” Sinfield said. “I don’t think I have come across anybody as powerful, or as explosive over that first couple of metres.
“Rob Burrow was very explosive but he wouldn’t have had the muscle mass that Manny has. Jason is probably the most similar player we’ve had ... his ability to pull through tackles, the strength in his hips. There aren’t many players like that.”
