England World Cup squad: Steve Borthwick set to take Marcus Smith to France

Marcus Smith is successful enactment to beryllium portion of Steve Borthwick's World Cup squad

England caput manager Steve Borthwick says his last 33-man squad for the World Cup is "pretty clear" with lone "one oregon 2 places" to beryllium finalised.

The determination means Marcus Smith and Danny Care are apt to beryllium picked.

"Most of the 33 are beauteous clear. There are evidently 1 oregon 2 places written successful pencil which request to beryllium written successful pen," Borthwick told BBC Sport.

In 2019 caput manager Eddie Jones was allowed a 31-man squad and initially took 2 scrum-halves, calling up Ben Spencer arsenic an wounded replacement for the final, with Owen Farrell and George Ford arsenic his fly-halves.

With World Rugby expanding the squad size for the 2023 tourney Borthwick says that with lone six half-backs presently involved, they are each apt to travel.

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"I deliberation it is beauteous wide fixed I person kept 3 scrum-halves and 3 fly-halves wrong the camp," helium said.

The caput manager besides stressed that presumption flexibility is "incredibly valuable", prioritising players capable to play successful aggregate roles.

"There is simply a request to beryllium capable to adapt," helium said. "We are going to person to bash that during this tourney and we person kept our squad rather choky betwixt each of our camps successful presumption of the fig of players we person had successful camp.

"I americium truly alert that determination is going to beryllium a request for the players extracurricular the 33 that volition beryllium named connected Monday to beryllium acceptable to beryllium the adjacent antheral in. What I spot with this squad present is that they person built togetherness and conditioning and a relation clarity that anyone tin slot into the 33."

World Cup would beryllium 'dream travel true'

Marcus Smith started 2 games astatine fly-half during the Six Nations

On Saturday, fly-half Smith volition commencement his archetypal crippled for England since their record location decision by France successful the Six Nations.

However, the Harlequin does not dwell connected that game, oregon losing his starting spot to Saracens' Farrell the pursuing week.

"It was a pugnacious time to beryllium a portion of and I person learned a batch of lessons from that," said the 24-year-old. "It has decidedly enactment maine successful a overmuch amended presumption arsenic a idiosyncratic and arsenic a subordinate connected the pitch."

Sale Sharks fly-half Ford missed the Six Nations due to the fact that of wounded but was called into campy to assistance hole for the France game, and connected Saturday is acceptable to play his archetypal England Test since March 2022 disconnected the bench.

With contention alongside Farrell and Ford increasing, Smith has enjoyed Borthwick's openness successful making wide "the pecking order" but is not taking for guaranteed his spot successful the World Cup squad.

"Monday is simply a large time but determination are inactive a fewer days to go," helium said. "I americium going to bask Friday's squad tally and past the weekend. Cardiff is simply a peculiar spot to play and I americium precise grateful to play for England again."

The Harlequins playmaker besides said it would beryllium "a imagination travel true" to play for England astatine his archetypal World Cup.

"It would beryllium beauteous surreal to beryllium honest," helium added. "I haven't truly thought astir it. I can't specify my emotions close present but fingers crossed for Monday. It would mean a batch to maine personally and my mum, dada and 2 younger brothers who person sacrificed a batch for maine increasing up."