SIR CLIVE WOODWARD: Why this England line-up is so disappointing, from the Marcus Smith muddle to the unnecessary changes all over the pitch - and the worrying impact it could have on our World Cup chances

One of my favourite phrases is: ‘Any fool can criticise and many do.’

As an England coach, you have to be prepared for feedback of all sorts, both good and bad. I had to deal with it all the time, even during successful periods. You must have a tough skin.

I’m a big fan of Steve Borthwick - he’s doing a great job and has undoubtedly got England heading in the right direction. But I also have to be honest and say I’m disappointed in his team selection for the match against Fiji on Saturday.

It's certainly not what I would have done if I were still in his position. When I was told on Thursday afternoon about the mass rotation from the Australia win, my initial and overriding reaction was one of disappointment.

But the more I thought about it, the stronger I felt that there have been way too many changes made. It’s a big opportunity missed.

Seven changes to the starting XV that beat the Wallabies and nine in total to the matchday 23 is overly excessive. It’s the wrong move.

I wrote earlier this week that in an ideal world, I’d have liked to have seen the same team kept from Australia. England played well – not brilliantly, by any stretch – to win. My view was that to improve on that display, continuity was key.

Borthwick has been forced into a couple of changes with Freddie Steward and Tom Roebuck injured. But the entire spine of the team has been ripped up. I just don’t agree with it.

I really feel for Marcus Smith. I just don’t get the idea he is an international full back and never have. Smith is a No10 and that’s it. He’s not a fly-half who can play 15. He has the ability to be the starting England fly-half and arguably should be. But if he’s not – and Borthwick is within his rights to make that call – he shouldn’t be moved elsewhere. Playing Smith at full back isn’t doing him or the team any good.

England are trying to build a team to win the 2027 World Cup and that is a totally realistic goal. But they have got to be pragmatic to achieve it. There are some very promising signs, but at the same time they are still chasing teams like New Zealand and South Africa.

Even with Steward and Roebuck injured, Tommy Freeman had to be given all four of this November’s matches at outside centre, if that’s where Borthwick sees him playing at the next global showpiece. I’d love to speak to Freeman and get his reaction to going back to the wing. I think it’s quite clear he wants to play centre and I’m sure he’ll be very disappointed.

England will say the switch has been necessitated by the injuries to Steward and Roebuck. But I don’t buy that. There were plenty of other options that could have kept Freeman at 13.

I don’t think a midfield partnership of Fraser Dingwall and Ollie Lawrence strikes fear into the world’s best sides. But having Freeman at centre can certainly do that with a real ball-player at 12, and his Northampton team-mate Dingwall has the potential to be that.

When I sat down with Borthwick for a Daily Mail Sport autumn preview interview last month, it very quickly became clear to me how much emphasis he places on cohesion in his team. Tried and tested combinations, which only come from consistency in selection, are vital to him.

So, that’s why I can’t really understand the team for Fiji, because it is the exact opposite of that. There are new partnerships everywhere you look – back three, centre, half-back, front row, second row and back row. Only the back three needed to be changed, because of injury.

Maro Itoje needs to be captain of England for every possible match. I can’t fathom at all why Itoje is on the bench. As a coach, you must pick your strongest possible team. 

On only one occasion did I not select my best players to start. For a Six Nations game away to Italy – a match we were always going to win – I put all of Martin Johnson, Lawrence Dallaglio, Matt Dawson, Neil Back and Jason Leonard on the bench.

It was an experiment, a one-off. I put all five on as substitutes at the same time early in the second half, but the players hated it. And I mean hated it! That Rome game has stayed with me. I repeat – always pick your strongest team.

Fiji won’t be easy. It will give the Pacific Islanders a massive boost to see Itoje on the bench. If I were in charge of Fiji, I’d be telling my team: ‘Look, England have put their captain on the bench - they clearly don’t respect us. Let’s get after them.’

I really, really hope England haven’t underestimated Fiji. They were beaten by them in the summer of 2023 and then run very close in that year’s World Cup quarter-final. You can’t take any team in international rugby lightly now.

But more importantly, it’s vital to take every game as an opportunity to develop a World Cup-winning mentality.

The other thing to consider is that England haven’t done themselves any favours with the New Zealand game in mind. That is the big one this autumn.

England may well beat Fiji and they should still do so. But with the All Blacks to come next, the side will then change again. It’s totally unnecessary.

England are a good team with the potential to be great. To achieve that status, consistency not change has to be the key word. I can’t help but feel they’ve hurt themselves here.

But as I well know and say now from the safety of the green seats: ‘Any fool can criticise and many do.’