Gregor Townsend a ‘wonderful coach’ and Scots should back him

The story behind Steve Borthwick’s selection for Calcutta Cup match in Edinburgh on Saturday, is not the two changes he has made, with Luke Cowan-Dickie starting at hooker and Maro Itoje returning to captain the side at lock. Nor is it the decision to retain Henry Arundell on the wing despite the return to fitness of Ollie Lawrence, or the dropping of Marcus Smith from the 23-man squad following the victory over Wales.

No, the biggest take-away is from what Borthwick did not do, and that was switch Tommy Freeman, a wing for his club Northampton Saints and the British and Irish Lions, from outside centre, where he started against Wales.

It is something Borthwick must have considered when Immanuel Feyi-Waboso was forced to pull out with a hamstring injury at the 11th hour ahead of the Wales game, but instead the England head coach opted to bring in Tom Roebuck, who had only just recovered from a broken toe.

Again, with Lawrence fully fit this week having recovered from a knee injury, the Bath centre would have come under consideration for midfield berth, which would have allowed Borthwick to switch Freeman out to the wing, a move that could have led to Arundell’s relegation, despite his first-half hat-trick of tries against Wales.

Instead, the picture is becoming clear. Borthwick clearly sees Freeman’s best position for England at 13, and seems intent on giving him enough game time in the position to allow him to fully flourish at the World Cup in Australia next year.

Next season the midfield competition will intensify, when Joe Marchant joins Sale Sharks from Stade Français and Benhard Janse van Rensburg, the Pretoria-born Bristol centre, qualifies for England after completing the five-year residency rule. Seb Atkinson and Max Ojomoh are also strongly in the mix.

But Freeman looks to be in pole position for the 13 shirt, with the inside view that it brings the best out of his athletic ability, heft, and finishing power. Starting him at 13 also bakes-in versatility to allow Borthwick to persist with a six-two bench. With Ben Earl able to switch to the midfield, and Freeman finishing the game on the wing.

England also see him with the aerial skills to cover full-back if required, which in part explains why a fit-again Fin Smith is preferred on the bench to his namesake Marcus. The Northampton play-maker is now seen as a player who can also cover inside centre, and his more structured game suits England’s style, which now focuses on kicking to compete in the air.