Fin Smith England Start: Fly-Half handed keys to Twickenham in bold Fiji reshuffle
Fin Smith will wear England’s No.10 shirt for the first time in 18 months this Saturday – and he’ll do it with Marcus Smith at 15, Maro Itoje on the bench, and Ellis Genge as captain.
Steve Borthwick has ripped up the playbook for the Quilter Nations Series opener against Fiji, making nine changes from the side that beat South Africa 29-20 two weeks ago. The result? One of the most exciting England XVs of the entire cycle.
Key Points – 8 November 2025
- Fin Smith (23) starts at fly-half – first Test start since Six Nations 2025 finale
- Marcus Smith switches to full-back (first England start at 15)
- Maro Itoje named as impact substitute for the first time in 74 caps
- Ollie Lawrence returns after March Achilles rupture
- Chandler Cunningham-South earns first Test start at No.8
- Kick-off: 3:10pm GMT, Allianz Stadium Twickenham – live on TNT Sports
The New-Look England XV That Has Everyone Talking
- Marcus Smith
- Tommy Freeman
- Ollie Lawrence
- Henry Slade
- Ollie Sleightholme
- Fin Smith
- Jack van Poortvliet
- Ellis Genge (c)
- Jamie George
- Joe Heyes
- Alex Coles
- Nick Isiekwe
- Sam Underhill
- Tom Curry
- Chandler Cunningham-South
Replacements 16. Luke Cowan-Dickie 17. Fin Baxter 18. Asher Opoku-Fordjour 19. Maro Itoje 20. Ben Curry 21. Harry Randall 22. Max Ojomoh 23. Henry Arundell
Why Fin Smith Is Ready to Seize His Moment
At 23 years and 117 days, Fin Smith becomes the youngest England starting fly-half since George Ford in 2014. Yet his CV already sparkles:
- Directed Northampton to 2024 Premiership title (Player of the Match in final)
- Won his first four England starts in Six Nations 2025 (only defeat: Ireland round one)
- 91% goal-kicking success rate in 2024-25 Premiership season
- Beat Finn Russell head-to-head twice for Saints last season
Borthwick’s verdict was blunt: “Fin controlled games for us in the Six Nations when others couldn’t. He’s earned this.”
Assistant coach Kevin Sinfield added: “We’ve got three world-class 10s. Someone always misses out. That’s the standard we want.”
The Marcus Smith Experiment Everyone Wanted
Moving Marcus Smith to full-back isn’t a demotion – it’s liberation.
Harlequins’ magician has spent two years begging to play 15 at Test level. Against Fiji’s lightning counter-attack, England need his vision from the back. Expect sweeping first-receiver loops and 50:22 bombs all afternoon.
Ollie Lawrence Is Back – And Fiji Should Be Scared
Nine months ago Lawrence limped off against Italy with a ruptured Achilles. On Saturday he lines up at 13 – fully cleared and 8 kg heavier.
His rehab diary went viral: hyperbaric chambers at 5 am, red-light sessions at midnight, pool sprints in Dubai heat. The result? A 118 kg midfield destroyer who still clocks 22.8 km/h top speed.
Fiji’s semi-pro centres won’t enjoy those carries.
Maro Itoje as “finisher” – The Ultimate Luxury
For the first time since his debut in 2016, Maro Itoje will wear 19. The lock who has started 73 consecutive Tests now becomes England’s nuclear option for the final 30 minutes.
Borthwick: “Maro against tired legs is unfair. We want to weaponise that.”
The Fiji Threat – Twickenham’s Haunted Memory
England have beaten Fiji eight times in nine meetings – but the islanders still own the most embarrassing result in Twickenham history.
26 August 2023: Fiji 30-22 England The only time a tier-two nation has ever beaten England on home soil.
Two months later England scraped a 30-24 World Cup quarter-final win. Fiji’s message since? “We’re coming again.”
Head coach Simon Raiwalui has picked their strongest available side, including:
- Semi Radradra (wing)
- Levani Botia (blindside)
- Waisea Nayacalevu (captain, centre)
Expect 100-phase attacks, offloads from everywhere, and the Fijian Drua drum beating loud in the stands.
Depth Chart That Makes Opponents Nervous
Saturday’s matchday 23 contains:
- 7 players aged 23 or under
- 5 players yet to reach 10 caps
- 312 combined England caps on the bench alone
Borthwick’s rotation policy now has real teeth. George Ford doesn’t even make the 23. Will Stuart, Ben Earl, and Freddie Steward all watch from home.
What Success Looks Like on Saturday
Beat Fiji convincingly and England will:
- Extend their Twickenham winning run to 12 matches
- Blood a new spine (10-15: Fin Smith – Van Poortvliet – Lawrence – Marcus Smith)
- Prove the “three fly-halves” problem is actually a superpower
The Bottom Line
This isn’t rotation for rotation’s sake. This is Steve Borthwick building a squad that can beat New Zealand in Auckland 2027 – and he’s prepared to upset a few egos to get there.
Fin Smith has waited 18 months for another chance. On Saturday afternoon, with 82,000 watching and Fiji hunting another giant-killing, England’s youngest fly-half gets to show why the future starts now.
Kick-off: 3:10pm, Saturday 8 November 2025 Stadium: Allianz Stadium, Twickenham (81,000 – sold out) TV: TNT Sports 1 (UK), Sky Sport NZ, Stan Sport (Aus)
