Ollie Sleightholme and Tom Willis have both been brought into the team to face France, after warmer conversations with Borthwick, who defended his decision to name both Smiths in the starting line-up for the first time. Ben Curry, however, was another victim of the ‘Borthwick Walk’ as he drops to the bench.

England's Six Nations campaign got off to a losing start with defeat to Ireland in Dublin last weekend while Manchester United are still struggling to find their feet under latest manager Ruben Amorim

Twin brothers in the back row is an unknown combination for England but certainly not to Tom and Ben Curry themselves. Brought in to contest and disturb an Irish breakdown alongside the ball-carrying capability of Ben Earl, it is a roll of the dice, but not a bad place to do so.