Borthwick backs Smith to raise English tempo
÷STEVE BORTHWICK has urged No 10 Marcus Smith to play to his strengths and light up England’s attack against France. The head coach said he ‘trusted his instincts’ after making his biggest selection call yet by dropping skipper Owen Farrell. Prop Ellis Genge has taken over the captaincy, with Smith challenged to speed up the tempo against a giant French team. Smith was released to play for Harlequins last weekend but forced his way back into the reckoning with a man-of-thematch display. ‘Marcus played very well,’ said Borthwick. ‘I pick players for the strengths they bring to the team. ‘Part of my job is to build a framework. But one of the things I’m aspiring to do here is get the players to bring their strengths onto the pitch in an England shirt. There has been a period of time where that hasn’t always been the case. We were ranked the slowest team in world rugby before the Six Nations and we want to speed up our game.’ ÷FABIEN GALTHIE has made three changes to the France starting line-up for Saturday’s Six Nations match against England. Jonathan Danty is back for the first time since the La Rochelle centre featured in the opening victory over Italy last season, at the expense of Yoram Moefana. Tighthead prop Dorian Aldegheri is set to make his first appearance of the competition as he comes in for the suspended Mohamed Haouas. Haouas saw red after a head-onhead contact with Scotland’s Ben White and joins fellow prop Uini Atonio on the list of those suspended. Blindside flanker Francois Cros replaces Toulouse team-mate Anthony Jelonch, who sustained an anterior cruciate ligament injury against Scotland.