Clive Woodward admits 'concerns over England confusion' as he calls for decision

08 March 2023 , 14:20

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Owen Farrell has missed eight out of 15 kicking attempts in England's three Six Nations games (Image: Alastair Grant/AP/REX/Shutterstock)

World Cup winning coach Sir Clive Woodward has admitted to being concerned about England's selection problem which could cause confusion throughout the squad.

England's first choice fly-half remains up for debate as Owen Farrell has missed eight out of 15 kicking attempts in the first three Six Nations rounds. England have won two of those matches with their latest 20-10 win coming against Wales two weeks ago.

However, Farrell's kicking came under scrutiny, having missed two of three conversions which allowed Wales to stay in the contest until Ollie Lawrence's late try. This comes as golden boy Marcus Smith impressed while playing for Harlequins last weekend resulting in him being recalled.

George Ford, who recently returned for club side Sale after eight months out with a ruptured Achilles, will also be pushing for a place in the England side in the coming months.

Woodward led England to victory in the 2003 World Cup and has warned that head coach Steve Borthwick needs to select his first choice fly-half to avoid confusion in the team.

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In his column for the Daily Mail, Woodward says: "Should it be Owen Farrell or Marcus Smith? What about George Ford? I have concerns that the confusion and hotly contested debate around the No 10 position will eat into the psyche of the team and the plans of new head coach Borthwick to get England back to the top of the tree.

Clive Woodward has warned Steve Borthwick to be firm with his fly-half pick (PA)

"There has already been and will continue to be lots of talk in the build-up to the France game about who will start at fly-half. It is proving a big distraction for the coach and team alike.

"That was the case at the start of the tournament but it has now gone to another level after Ford returned from a long-term injury and Smith produced an impressive performance for Harlequins at the weekend after initially being dropped by England."

Smith was given just 14 seconds off the bench in England's win against Wales and who will be selected for this weekend's match against France is unclear. Woodward has urged Borthwick to back one fly-half as they build for the World Cup in France later this year.

Marcus Smith has been recalled by England after impressing for club side Harlequins (PA)

George Ford is returning to match fitness after eight months out with a ruptured Achilles (Getty Images)

"What I do not want to see is Smith brought on to make a 20-minute impact," Woodward added. "Pick and back your fly-half for 80 minutes and make it clear that he is the main man. If there is an injury, you will be surprised how fast the side will rally around the ‘understudy’.

"It will be fascinating to see who Borthwick selects for France but all the signs point to Farrell, who seems to fit the Borthwick mould. He appears to want a structured game with lots of kicking and that is not exactly Smith’s raison d’etre.

"If you want a chance of winning this World Cup then Farrell has to be selected. If you want to win in four years’ time, then start to build your team around Smith. Fly-half is such a key position. It’s like a quarterback in American football. All the best NFL teams know who their star quarterback is. There is no debate. Having two, or in England’s case three, excellent fly-halves might seem a strength on paper, but it can be more of a weakness."

Benjamin Goddard