England’s 12-game winning run was ended emphatically at Murrayfield on Saturday as Scotland regained the Calcutta Cup with an inspired 31-20 victory.
Having kept faith with mostly the same starting XV during England’s autumn run of successes and commanding win over Wales, will their disappointing performance in Edinburgh result in some changes?
Here are some potential selection dilemmas as head coach Steve Borthwick considers his team for Saturday’s must-win Six Nations game against Ireland at Allianz Stadium, Twickenham (14:10 GMT).
Wings up for grabs?
Henry Arundell is available for the game after avoiding further punishment for his red card at Murrayfield.
The 23-year-old received two yellow cards on Saturday – the second for dangerously taking a player out in the air – and it proved costly, putting his position at risk.
Fit-again centre Ollie Lawrence came into the campaign with a knee injury, which helped prompt Tommy Freeman’s switch from the wing to outside centre.
Freeman is usually deployed on the right wing but has played on the left, starting there in England’s last win over Ireland in 2024.
Given England’s struggles in the air against Scotland, a swap back to the wing seems logical because of Freeman’s aerial dominance.
But establishing the Northampton Saint at 13 has been a clear goal of the England coaching staff.
Would a like-for-like swap with Elliot Daly be more beneficial for Freeman’s long-term growth as a centre? Or now that Lawrence is fit, is he better deployed back at centre, allowing Freeman to return to the wing?
Tom Roebuck struggled to impose himself in the air against Scotland – a rarity during his time in an England shirt – which could still open up a spot for Daly, even if Lawrence comes into the centre and Freeman moves out.
Wingers Cadan Murley and Ollie Hassell-Collins, who would need to be called into the squad, are also sharp finishers and scored in England A’s recent win over an Ireland XV.
“I stand by what I said last week. I wanted to see Ollie Lawrence at 13 and Fraser Dingwall at 12, with a back three of Tom Roebuck, Tommy Freeman and Freddie Steward,” former England wing Ugo Monye told BBC’s Rugby Union Weekly.
“If you want to play so heavily on this kicking game, then select your best wingers for it.”
Murley endured a tough debut against Ireland in last year’s Six Nations, while Hassell-Collins was dropped after the opening two rounds of the 2023 tournament.
Back-row changes
On the flanks, the balance of Bath duo Guy Pepper and Sam Underhill brought a winning formula in the autumn, with number eight Ben Earl able to roam and be at his explosive best.
Despite Earl still impressing in Edinburgh, Pepper and Underhill, who have started the past four Tests together, failed to reach their recent high standards.
“Underhill is one of the best tacklers in the game in terms of being both offensive and destructive,” former Scotland captain John Barclay told BBC Rugby Union Weekly.
“He fell off two tackles in the move that led to the Ben White try – it was very uncharacteristic of him.
“Pepper was also pretty quiet, but Ben Earl carried really well.”
Borthwick picks his back row as a unit, which has led to British and Irish Lions Tom Curry and Henry Pollock being deployed in the final quarter of games.
The impact of a stacked bench worked until Saturday, as the replacements had too much to do.
Pollock, 21, who is yet to start a Test, still offered impact with his powerful ball carrying and work on the ground.
Curry started all three Lions Tests and was a standout performer, with his injury record potentially a factor in his six-game run on the bench.
Whether Underhill and Pepper can play the role of impact finishers to the same level may also affect Borthwick’s selection, but Curry’s experience may justify starting him alongside Pollock and Earl.
Smith v Smith
This time last year, Marcus and Fin Smith were battling to become England’s starting fly-half. They now find themselves fighting for the back-up spot behind George Ford.
Ford’s missed drop-goal proved a defining moment on Saturday, but his performances in the autumn and against Wales make it unlikely he will be dropped.
Fin Smith came into camp injured, which made Marcus’ spot on the bench straightforward against Wales in the opening round.
He returned to the replacements in place of his namesake against Scotland, leaving the Harlequins playmaker out of the matchday squad – even with his ability to cover full-back.
“The big one is Marcus and not having him on the bench. The guy is a game-changer. He can also play full-back,” former England wing Chris Ashton told BBC Rugby Union Weekly.
“If the game is not going the way you want it to, then Marcus can change it.”
Versatility helped Marcus, who was on the bench for the first Lions Test in the summer, edge out Northampton’s Fin for England’s final two autumn internationals.
That came after the 23-year-old Fin started four games at 10 in last year’s Six Nations, with Ashton adding that he is more suited to starting matches.
“Borthwick thought about getting Fin Smith some game time [against Scotland],” Ashton added.
“You have to back Fin to play from the start.”
The bench make-up will play a big role in who gets the nod, and with Ireland’s struggles up front against France and Italy, a 6-2 split of forwards to backs will favour Marcus Smith’s utility.
