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England rotate fly-half options as Fin Smith starts against Fiji
Fin Smith will lead England's attack at fly-half in Saturday's Quilter Nations Series clash against Fiji at Twickenham, with Marcus Smith shifting to full-back and Maro Itoje named among the replacements. Head coach Steve Borthwick continues to experiment with his squad depth ahead of the match (kick-off 17:40 GMT), which will be broadcast live on Radio 5 Sports Extra and via BBC Sport's live text commentary.
Back-row reshuffle and injury updates
Chandler Cunningham-South earns his first Test start at number eight, filling a positional gap created by Tom Willis' impending move to France, which will render him ineligible for international selection. Meanwhile, Tommy Freeman returns to the wing after Tom Roebuck was sidelined by a recurring ankle injury sustained in training.
Ollie Lawrence makes his international return in the centers, eight months after rupturing his Achilles tendon during England's Six Nations victory over Italy. His recovery, accelerated by treatments including hyperbaric chambers and red-light therapy, was documented on social media.
Leadership and squad adjustments
Ellis Genge, back in the starting XV, will captain the side from the prop position, while Alex Coles slots into the second row. Regular skipper Maro Itoje is held in reserve for a second-half impact role. Notably absent from the matchday 23 is George Ford, who led England during their summer tour of the Americas while the Smith brothers were on British and Irish Lions duty.
Among the replacements, Sale's Asher Opoku-Fordjour provides front-row cover, and Henry Arundell-last capped at the 2023 Rugby World Cup before his move to Racing 92-offers backline versatility. Will Stuart, another Lion, misses out entirely.
You don't [keep everyone happy]. But that is how it should be. At this level, there is always someone a little disgruntled. They are all impatient because they want the shirt now, but they understand the value of the team.
England assistant coach Kevin Sinfield, on managing fly-half competition
Fly-half depth and recent form
Fin Smith, 23, the youngest of England's three fly-half options, guided the team to four consecutive Six Nations wins last season after their opening loss to Ireland. However, he later admitted disappointment with his performances on the Lions tour, where Scotland's Finn Russell retained the Test 10 role.
Assistant coach Kevin Sinfield acknowledged the challenge of balancing minutes among the trio-Fin Smith, Marcus Smith, and George Ford-but emphasized their professionalism. "We've seen other nations interchange their 10s successfully," he noted, pointing to England's ability to do the same.
Historical context and Fiji threat
England enter the match with an 8-1 record against Fiji, including a 30-24 quarter-final victory at the 2023 Rugby World Cup. However, Fiji pulled off a 30-22 upset at Twickenham just two months prior, underscoring their unpredictability. Borthwick's rotational approach aims to mitigate risks while building cohesion ahead of future challenges.
England team to face Fiji
Starting XV: M Smith; Freeman, Lawrence, Dingwall, Feyi-Waboso; F Smith, Mitchell; Genge (c), Cowan-Dickie, Heyes, Coles, Chessum, Pepper, Earl, Cunningham-South.
Replacements: George, Baxter, Opoku-Fordjour, Itoje, T Curry, Pollock, Spencer, Arundell.
