Ranking England’s No. 10s by Their Chances of Starting This Summer

Fin Smith, George Ford and Marcus Smith all bring different strengths to the table, but only one is likely to lead England from the start.

Here, we rank the trio based on their chances of starting this summer and why each stands where they do.

From one potential scapegoat to another, Harlequins have endured a disappointing season. If their fly-half cannot guide a struggling club side, questions will naturally be asked about whether he can lead England.

Marcus Smith is not Steve Borthwick’s first-choice fly-half and was used mainly from the bench during the recent Six Nations. Even so, he made positive contributions when introduced and avoided many of the wider struggles affecting the team.

Although he has performed reasonably well at fullback recently, starting him at fly-half is a very different challenge, and that opportunity now appears to have passed.

He remains an extremely valuable member of the squad. His ability to inject creativity and attack from deep makes him a strong option at fullback, where his skill set is arguably best suited.

It is difficult to judge George Ford too harshly given how intelligent a player he remains, along with the quality of his kicking game and playmaking at the highest level.

His club form has been below his usual standards in a struggling Sale Sharks side, and he did not stand out during the Six Nations before eventually losing his place to Fin Smith.

Ford did, however, show strong leadership away from the pitch and offered thoughtful insight into England’s issues during the tournament.

His performances on the field did not always reflect that influence. Missed opportunities, including a blocked drop goal that led to a try against Scotland, proved costly.

While he can feel like a scapegoat at times, there is evidence that England’s attack has lacked fluidity with him at fly-half, partly because of the limited running threat and one-dimensional style he can occasionally fall into.

There is still clearly a place for him in the squad, and potentially even in the matchday 23 with a 5-3 bench split, because he effectively acts as a coach on the pitch and remains a strong presence within the dressing room.

A young player with huge potential, but a poor performance against Italy contributed to an embarrassing defeat in this year’s Six Nations.

His play was predictable and lacked variation, whether because of tactics or decision-making. He mixed things up far better against France and played well, even if his missed conversions ultimately proved costly.

Looking at the positives, his display against France offered a glimpse of what he could become if he is fully trusted and given control of the attack.

He has produced performances like that on numerous occasions for Northampton Saints this season, linking up impressively with several of his England teammates at club level, particularly Alex Mitchell and Archie McParland.

Still only 24, this feels like the right time to hand him the reins as England’s primary playmaker, allowing him to build significant Test experience ahead of the World Cup.