Six Nations 2023: Dropping Owen Farrell for Marcus Smith a 'great call' - Sir Clive Woodward

Previously, Marcus Smith and Owen Farrell formed a concern astatine fly-half and wrong centre

Starting Marcus Smith up of England skipper Owen Farrell successful Saturday's Six Nations lucifer against France would beryllium a "great call" by manager Steve Borthwick, says World Cup-winning erstwhile manager Sir Clive Woodward.

Woodward says Farrell has "huge respect" crossed the rugby satellite but coaches indispensable sometimes spell with their "gut instinct".

"We've each dropped large players," Woodward told BBC Radio 4's Today programme.

"You person got to marque those calls. It's inactive aboriginal days for Steve and, if you are going to marque these large calls to effort and find retired your champion starting team, you request to marque them aboriginal successful your career.

"I was looking guardant to the crippled anyway, but adjacent much truthful present that Smith starts astatine 10."

England are acceptable to denote their squad to look France astatine 13:30 GMT connected Thursday.

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