Marcus Smith to start for England with Owen Farrell on bench against France

Steve Borthwick has dropped Owen Farrell from the England team to face France on Saturday with Marcus Smith starting at fly-half and Ellis Genge captaining the side for the first time.

As revealed by the Guardian, Farrell has been left out of an England side on merit for the first time since the 2015 World Cup with Borthwick preferring Smith, rejuvenating after a starring role for Harlequins in their victory at Twickenham over Exeter last weekend.

Farrell has struggled for form of late, particularly from the kicking tee, but it is a seismic decision by Borthwick to bench his captain. With Courtney Lawes out with a shoulder injury, Genge – who captained Leicester to last season’s Premiership title under Borthwick – will lead the side.

Smith coming in for Farrell is the only change to the side that won in Wales last time out. The 24-year-old started the opening match against Scotland but with Farrell outside him. Eddie Jones was adamant that the Smith-Farrell partnership would come good but Borthwick seemingly feels otherwise and has given the Harlequins fly-half the chance to cement his spot in the side.

Farrell was rested a handful of times by Jones but has not been omitted on form since the opening day of the Rugby World Cup in 2015, when George Ford started the victory over Fiji. There is a further change on the bench with David Ribbans replacing the injured Lawes.

Genge leads the side from the front-row along with Jamie George and Kyle Sinckler with Maro Itoje and Ollie Chessum again the locks. Lewis Ludlam and Jack Willis – who turned out for Toulouse last Sunday – are the flankers with Alex Dombrandt at No 8. Jack van Poortvliet continues at scrum-half while Ollie Lawrence and Henry Slade are at centre and Anthony