Fly-half considered a doubt for second match at home to WalesNorthampton’s Fin Smith in line to make England debut
Marcus Smith has been ruled out of England’s Six Nations opener against Italy on Saturday, paving the way for namesake Fin to make his debut in Rome. The Harlequins fly-half sustained a calf injury at England’s training camp in Girona and an initial scan has ruled him out of contention for the weekend’s opening round.
It is a bitter blow for Marcus Smith, who was believed to be in strong contention for the No 10 jersey in Rome, and for Steve Borthwick who is waiting on further information to discover how long he will be sidelined. He must also be considered a serious doubt for England’s second match at home to Wales on Saturday week.