Sam Vesty puts positive spin on tricky period for Fin Smith

Northampton Saints head coach Sam Vesty has tipped Fin Smith to win the long-term battle for the England number ten shirt after being handed a start against Italy in the Stadio Olimpico on Saturday afternoon.

Steve Borthwick dropped Sale Sharks star George Ford as one of 12 changes for the trip to Rome, and gives Smith the chance to impress ahead of Marcus Smith, who starts the game on the bench.

The former Worcester Warriors ace, who missed England’s first game against Wales with a calf problem, was in pole position to be Borthwick’s starting fly-half last season, starting four of their five Six Nations games.

But he lost momentum when he missed the summer tour of the summer tour to Argentina and the United States, opening the door for Ford, who has started the last nine games before his unceremonious dumping this week.

Vesty said, “I’d imagine Fin would be there for the long term. And irrespective of what happens this weekend, he is the man who will be driving England forward over the next lots of years.

Fixture

Six Nations

Italy

23 - 18

Full-time

England

All Stats and Data

“The way to the top is varied, with ups and downs, and I think that’s how you learned from it. And Finn will 100 per cent. He has got a sensible head on his shoulders, and he’s very driven. So I think he’ll come out better for it in the long term.”

Smith might be enjoying an upward curve in his international career, but a Saints player, who isn’t, is Fraser Dingwell, who, like Ford, won’t be involved in helping England attempt to beat Italy for the 33rd time in 33 games.

While Alex Mitchell will miss the next two games with a hamstring injury, Vesty says players returning from international duty will be handled appropriately.

“I think it’s probably different for different people. People have done it a little bit more, so Freemo (Tommy Freeman) has now been away on lots of these Six Nations and tours and knows how to get his head back in with us.

“For some people, it would be their first time having all that pressure, having all that attention and then having to come back in, and they’ll probably find it slightly tougher or maybe not.

“But we also have to give those guys some time to time off to try and, you know, just get their heads away from all those stresses, and I think that’ll probably helps as well,” he added.