England centre selection a backward step – Andy Goode

Steve Borthwick has reverted to type after his attacking team selection against Chile and we knew it was coming but Owen Farrell’s inclusion at centre feels like a backward step.

It would have been a massive call to leave his captain out of the starting XV and it would have been a huge decision to drop George Ford, who has been named player of the match in both his starts at this tournament, but I think he should have done one or the other.

It’s a tired old debate but Farrell is a fly half, that’s where he plays for his club and that’s where he should play for his country. Of course, he is capable of playing centre but I don’t think he’s had a top drawer game in the position since the World Cup semi-final in 2019.

It seemed like the age-old debate had gone away heading into this tournament with Farrell the clear first choice at number 10 but his ban and Ford’s form have forced Borthwick into a corner in a way and here we are again.

(Photo by David Rogers/Getty Images)

Borthwick is saying he’s excited once more but, looking at the response from fans, I don’t think there is a great deal of excitement about the selection and who knows what Henry Arundell is thinking after scoring five tries against Chile.

That could genuinely be his only outing at this World Cup as this looks like the team that will be picked for the knockout stages to me. Jonny May hasn’t shown his blistering form of old but he’s seen as a more reliable kick chaser so gets the nod.

It might not be a selection to get the juices flowing but it’s certainly one that fits the bill of how Borthwick has set his stall out to play at this tournament. England are averaging 37 kicks in play per game, more than anyone else, and you can expect that to go up not down with Farrell’s inclusion.

In fairness to the England head coach, World Cups are about winning and this is clearly the template he has identified as the best way for his team to get victories so perhaps the conversation around style of play should be shelved until after the tournament.

I just can’t see this approach being enough to beat a France or a South Africa in a semi-final if England make it that far. For all Fiji’s undoubted brilliance and despite them having won at Twickenham in August, it might be enough to bore them into submission in a quarter-final if they are to be England’s opponents.

Henry Arundell of England celebrates scoring his team's first try during the Rugby World Cup France 2023 match between England and Chile at Stade Pierre Mauroy on September 23, 2023 in Lille, France. (Photo by David Ramos - World Rugby/World Rugby via Getty Images)

Arundell has obvious X-factor qualities and I think every England fan probably shares my desire to see him starting on the wing but it really could be a record of one appearance, five tries at World Cups for the next four years for him.

I don’t mind Joe Marchant’s selection on the wing as he’s in good form and has played there before, Manu Tuilagi just has to be included and they can swap positions at times but it might be a case of too many square pegs in round holes when you look across the backline.

The likes of Ben Earl and Alex Mitchell are now being picked on form when they haven’t been in the not so distant past so there has been a very gradual evolution but Borthwick is still a coaching disciple of Eddie Jones and Farrell at centre is harking back to those days.

Borthwick picked Farrell at centre in his first Test in charge but hasn’t done so since and he hasn’t started alongside Ford since the 2021 Six Nations. It’s unlikely to go badly wrong against Samoa but I just can’t fathom how it’s the best way forward for England.

The Samoans have been disappointing at this World Cup but Tonga improved dramatically in their game against South Africa and I expect Samoa to be better this week, even if they have made nine changes to their starting XV.

A general view as Waisea Nayacalevu of Fiji speaks with teammates as they huddle after the Rugby World Cup France 2023 match between Fiji and Georgia at Nouveau Stade de Bordeaux on September 30, 2023 in Bordeaux, France. (Photo by Pauline Ballet - World Rugby/World Rugby via Getty Images)

They aren’t anywhere near the level that Fiji are at but they still hit hard and have talented players and in a way it’s the perfect warm-up for a potential quarter-final against Simon Raiwalui’s men.

There’s no jeopardy on this game whatsoever and it’s a chance to put into action the game plan for the knockout stages, it’d be nice to see the back three getting their hands on the ball as they did against Chile but I suspect there’ll be a lot more kicking from hand.

We should see at least a 15-point victory for England but it’s the combinations that are important and in the most pivotal one of all I think it’d be a surprise if we see a recapturing of the 2019 semi-final form from Ford and Farrell in tandem.

One swallow doesn’t make a summer and there’s a far greater body of evidence that suggests Farrell is a frustrated fly half when starting at centre. They might shine against Samoa but it won’t have the big boys losing any sleep.