ON YOUR MARCS

Quins star fit for Ireland clash

MARCUS SMITH is ready to ride to the rescue of England’s faltering Six Nations campaign after being given the green light for Saturday’s clash with Ireland.

And boss Steve Borthwick has been handed a double boost with scrumhalf Alex Mitchell also declared fit.

Borthwick called 36 players into camp in Bagshot last night, including Exeter wing Immanuel Feyi-waboso.

Feyi-waboso sat out last week’s training in York whilst he took an exam as part of his medical degree but is straight back in the mix.

Harlequins fly-half Smith has not featured in this campaign after injuring his calf during training ahead of the opener against Italy.

And Mitchell was ruled out of the 30-21 defeat to Scotland with a knee problem he suffered while training at Twickenham nine days before the Calcutta Cup reverse.

Scrum-half Danny Care, Smith’s half-back partner at Quins, is set to win his 100th cap but may have to settle for a spot on the bench with Mitchell (right) back in contention.

Smith is in a three-way fight with George Ford and Fin Smith for the starting No.10 jersey as England face up to a huge challenge against the Irish.

Attack coach Richard Wigglesworth said last week:

“We know that we have got good players, albeit different players in that fly-half spot.”

Ford has started all three games so far but was replaced at the start of the last quarter at Murrayfield by Northampton tyro Smith.

Leicester full-back Freddie Steward – a stand-out omission against the Scots – is also included by Borthwick (above), as is George Furbank.

And Steward’s Tigers team-mate, George Martin, is pressing for inclusion in the starting line-up and could partner Maro Itoje in the second row against the Irish.

England are staring down the barrel of winning just two games out of five for the fourth time on the spin – with the clash against Grand Slam-chasing Ireland and a trip to France to come.

Manu Tuilagi is also in the squad after being left out for the Scots game. Bath’s Ollie Lawrence hardly landed a blow north of the border and Tuilagi could come in to go head-to-head with Ireland’s heavyweight Bundee Aki.

Northampton flanker Tom Pearson, Bristol scum-half Harry Randall and Bath’s Max Ojomoh are all

out.