England full-back George Furbank is a major doubt for the Six Nations following a significant arm injury picked up in Northampton Saints’ Champions Cup win over the Bulls.
He was withdrawn after just 29 minutes in the Saints’ 30-21 win at Loftus Versfeld, and replaced by George Hendy.
Speaking to the media this week, head coach Sam Vesty confirmed the ‘big loss’ of Furbank, but also highlighted there is currently ‘nothing concrete’ on a possible return.
“He has fractured his arm, it can vary so nothing concrete on how long that will take,” said Vesty. “We are not 100% sure what the outcome of that medical assessment will be.”
He added: “It is a big loss, he is a fantastic rugby player. He is our club captain and has really grown into that leadership role over the last couple of years. He will be a loss.”
Whilst there is no current return date for the back, who can also play fly-half, he is now a major doubt for England’s Six Nations opener against Ireland on 1st February.
That then leaves Steve Borthwick with a major selection headache in his backline, with Furbank starting three of England’s four Autumn Nations Series Tests, and he could be looking for a new starting full-back. But, who are the candidates to come in and replace him? Well, here is our take on the potential options Borthwick could turn to.
Freddie Steward
The most likely option, and probably the one Borthwick will go for, is to just bring Freddie Steward in at 15. The Leicester man was England’s go-to man between 2022 and the Six Nations last year, but with the new attacking style has found himself ousted by Furbank. When at his best, Steward is arguably one of the best out-and-out 15s in the world game, with his ability under the high ball and counter-attacking game a huge weapon in both England’s and Leicester’s attack in recent years. He is also clearly looking to add those extra attacking elements to his game, as showcased in the past couple of weeks, and that will certainly please Borthwick. To date, Steward has 35 Test caps to his name, so brings some decent experience to this England side.
Marcus Smith
The man of the moment has been tested at 15 for both England and Harlequins, notably slotting in there during England’s demolition of Japan, but Borthwick could look to move him back there permanently this Six Nations. There is no doubt he was England’s best player during the Autumn Nations Series, but a big question mark over him was his ability to lead the attack fully and then close out games, but if deployed at 15 he could just be the maverick we all want him to be. It would then also allow either Fin Smith – who had an excellent cameo off the bench against Japan and combined well with M. Smith in that full-back spot – or George Ford to come in at 10, whilst still providing that extra ball player in the backfield that Borthwick wants. Could this be the time to pull the trigger on the Smith at 15 gambit properly?
Joe Carpenter
Sale Sharks man Joe Carpenter has been in-and-around the England squad for a little while now, but this could be his best chance at winning his maiden Test cap. The flyer has impressed on club duty in the past year, and as a result, has been drafted into the wider England squad and was part of the touring party to Japan and New Zealand this summer, but didn’t feature in any of the three Tests. He would add a nice dynamic to the attack, with his more direct running a real threat in open play, but it would also be good to try him out at Test level as he could be a key man for the future.
Elliot Daly
Another man on the fringes of the England squad at the moment is Saracens back Elliot Daly, but he too could be a very good option for Borthwick to bring in for the Six Nations. He would bring a wealth of experience to the starting XV, with 69 caps to his name at the time of writing, but would also bring heaps of quality to the side. Daly is, when on song, a very classy player and could be just the player to get England over the line against a Tier One side again.
Tom de Glanville
The Bath man has been incredibly unlucky to not earn a call-up, in my opinion, but this could be a great chance for him to come and show what he is capable of. Tom de Glanville has been arguably the form full-back in the Premiership since the start of last season, and you feel if he was fit for the final Bath might have even sneaked it. He is rock solid under the high ball but also acts as that extra playmaker from the backfield, which is exactly what Borthwick is looking for. There are far worse options than De Glanville, and he could easily do a job this Six Nations if called upon.
George Hendy
George Furbank’s replacement this weekend could very easily be his England replacement too. Northampton Saints flhyer George Hendy is a very raw talent, but he’s one of the most exciting up-and-coming back-three players in the Premiership right now. His time spent on the wing in the past has made him, weirdly, a much bigger threat when deployed at 15 as he has a really keen eye for a gap, and crucially has the pace to burn through defences. This is a slightly left-field call, given the options ahead of him, but it could be a masterstroke if Borthwick opts to bring him in.
Josh Hodge
England A man Josh Hodge is clearly on Borthwick’s radar, and now could be the time to bring him into the senior squad. The Exeter Chiefs ace is such a threat in open play, with his devastating pace able to flip a game at any given moment. Crucially, though, he is working on his passing game and being able to put his teammates into space, which could see him attract the interest of Borthwick next month.
