A worrying calf injury has put Fin Smith's participation in the upcoming Six Nations opener against Wales on February 7th in jeopardy. This is a significant concern for Northampton's fly-half, who is currently awaiting the results of a scan to determine the extent of the injury.
Phil Dowson, Northampton's director of rugby, shared his thoughts, saying, "We're still awaiting the scan results to get a clearer picture. It's likely to be a minimum of two weeks, but muscle injuries are tricky to predict beyond that."
The Six Nations squad is set to be announced next week, and England's first match is just three and a half weeks away. After facing Wales, England will travel to Scotland on February 14th and then host Ireland at Twickenham on February 21st before a well-deserved rest week.
Smith, who made a promising start to the competition last year, coming off the bench in the opening round against Ireland, was promoted to the starting XV for the remaining four matches. His impressive performance earned him a spot on the British and Irish Lions tour to Australia during the summer.
However, Smith's time with the Lions was less than ideal, as he struggled to challenge Finn Russell for a Test spot. Meanwhile, George Ford shone during England's Tests against Argentina and the United States. Ford was the preferred choice during the autumn, starting at 10 in victories over Australia, New Zealand, and Argentina. Smith, unfortunately, was limited to a win over Fiji and had a more peripheral role within the matchday 23.
In a December interview with BBC Radio Northampton's Saints Show, Smith expressed his disappointment, saying, "It's hard to take. I absolutely loved wearing the England 10 shirt, and having it taken away does hurt."
With Smith's injury, Anthony Belleau, a French player signed from Clermont Auvergne in the summer, stepped in and quickly adapted to life with Saints.
But here's where it gets controversial: With Smith's potential absence, should England stick with Ford, who has been in fine form, or give another player a chance to shine? And this is the part most people miss: Smith's versatility could be a key factor in England's decision-making process.
What do you think? Should England stick with Ford or give someone else a shot? Let us know your thoughts in the comments!
