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Why Danny Care has no doubt which 10 will take England to 'next level'

Marcus Smith, George Ford and Fin Smith for England/ PA

George Ford’s return to the England squad this week has muddied the fly-half selection picture somewhat for Steve Borthwick.

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On one hand, England have gained the services of a player four caps shy of a century. On the other hand, Borthwick was put in the invidious position of choosing who should start in the No 10 shirt against the All Blacks on Saturday at Twickenham’s Allianz Stadium, and will be throughout the autumn.

In the first match since the Guinness Six Nations where all options are available to Borthwick, the head coach has opted to start Marcus Smith, with Ford returning from a quad injury to take his place on the bench for the third instalment of the year against Scott Robertson’s side.

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    The Sale Sharks No 10 was given the reins in the Six Nations and spearheaded the birth of this new England, ably supported by Marcus Smith from the bench against Ireland. But an Achilles issue to Ford meant the Harlequin steered the ship against the All Blacks in July, backed up by his namesake Fin.

    With Ford initially an injury doubt for the start of the Autumn Nations Series with a quad issue, the fly-half picture looked simple- Marcus Smith would start and Fin Smith would start on the bench. Now Borthwick will be in a quandary for the rest of November.

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    But for former England scrum-half Danny Care there is no such dilemma. Regardless of Ford’s fitness, Marcus Smith has to start if England want to break into the top four of the world rankings.

    Currently in fifth place in the rankings, joining the top table amongst Ireland, South Africa, New Zealand and France, or actually usurping one of them, will be England’s target over the coming months, and Care feels his Harlequins team-mate is the best choice to help achieve that feat.

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    Though now looking on at England as an observer, it was not long ago that the 101-cap international was on the other side of the fence – just over six months in fact – so he will have first-hand experience of what Borthwick wants out of his team and how he wants to play. With plenty of knowledge of how both Marcus Smith and Ford operate, he is well equipped to offer his two penn’orth on the fly-half debate.

    “Whatever happens, Marcus Smith would be my fly-half,” TNT Sports pundit Care recently said to RugbyPass. “I think the way England have developed their game and this sort of attack-minded nature that we’ve got now, with the players that we’ve got around them, with the speed that they can play at, for me, for England to get into that top four, he’s the fly-half.”

    Care nevertheless still feels that Ford has an important role to play in the England camp, even if he does not feature in the matchday squad.

    “That being said, George is still going to play a massively important part in that squad whether he’s playing or not,” the 37-year-old added. “It’s almost like another coach out there for the boys, he sees the game so well. Whether he’s on the bench or he’s starting, or he’s the third fly-half, he’ll be helping England to beat New Zealand. So he’s still got plenty of miles in the tank.”

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    What is different about the England set-up since Care retired from international rugby in March is Borthwick’s coaching staff, with Felix Jones now working remotely and Joe El-Abd taking over as defence coach.

    Though this could scupper Borthwick’s plans and unsettle a side that were on an upwards trajectory, Care feels it will only be a disruption if England choose to make it one.

    “Felix is a world-class coach, I loved working with him, the boys did,” the scrum-half added. “But If he wants to be somewhere else and wants to go and do something else then you want people in the room that want to be there.

    “So it’s one of those, you thank him for his time. He did some brilliant stuff for England, following on for some great work that Kevin Sinfield had done, and now it’s Joe El-Abd’s turn to put his stamp on some already really good work and hopefully try taking them to the next level. So it can be a disruption if you want to make it one. I think England are really enjoying working with Joe and I don’t think it will have too much of a distraction.”

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    Care is echoing his former boss Borthwick when he mentions the ‘next level’ that England must ascend to, and believes they can achieve that over November with visits from the All Blacks, Australia, the world champions South Africa and Japan. But there are non-negotiables if they are to reach that upper echelon.

    Care said: “I think for England, the next level that Steve’s always talked about is breaking into that top four in the world. Beating one of the top four teams. We beat Ireland obviously in the Six Nations, but I think England need to beat New Zealand or South Africa.

    “I’m not saying they need to go and beat both of them, but I think to take that next level, it’s about picking off these world-class teams and there’s no better opportunity to go for New Zealand that first game.

    “I thought they should have beaten them twice in the summer, which gave me great optimism that when New Zealand came over here, England would learn from that and have enough to beat them at home and I truly think they will this weekend.”

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    Every match of 2024 Autumn Nations Series is exclusively live on TNT Sports and discovery+ Watch The Autumn Nations Rugby Show, free-to-air on Quest every Thursday at 10pm from Oct 31

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    Bull Shark 33 minutes ago
    Cory Jane: Hurricanes bracing for 'angry' Blues team

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    J
    Jimmy Chan 1 hour ago
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    Just a year ago, I found myself in a financial abyss. A wrong investment decision had cost me $500,000—money that took me years to build through sweat, sacrifice, and relentless effort. It wasn’t just the loss that hurt; it was the hopelessness that followed. My business stalled, debts piled up, and the weight of my failure crushed me. I had trusted a too-good-to-be-true investment in a startup that promised high returns through speculative AI-driven trading. Blinded by optimism, I ignored red flags and poured in my entire savings. Within months, the company collapsed due to mismanagement and fraudulent activities. By the time I realized the truth, my funds were gone, and legal action seemed futile. In the midst of my despair, I stumbled upon Galaxy Ethical Tech, a rising name in ethical AI-driven financial solutions. Unlike the reckless investment schemes that had ruined me, they focused on transparency, sustainability, and responsible financial technology. Their mission was clear: leveraging AI to empower individuals ethically, not exploit them. With little to lose, I reached out to their team, expecting corporate indifference. Instead, I was met with genuine concern. A financial consultant from Galaxy Ethical Tech, Emma, walked me through their AI-driven Financial Recovery Program—a system designed to help individuals rebuild their finances through personalized investment strategies, risk analysis, and income diversification. I started small. Their AI-powered investment assistant analyzed my risk tolerance, market trends, and ethical investment opportunities that aligned with long-term sustainability and financial health. Instead of high-risk, speculative trades, it guided me toward steady, impact-driven investments—in sectors like renewable energy, ethical tech startups, and blockchain solutions with real-world utility. One of their groundbreaking features was the Galaxy Adaptive Portfolio, an AI-powered system that adjusted investments dynamically based on real-time market data, ensuring I never fell into the trap of emotional, impulsive decisions again. More importantly, their fraud detection system educated me on red flags, ensuring I never repeated my past mistakes. Beyond investments, their AI-driven freelancing and gig economy integration connected me with short-term, high-paying opportunities tailored to my expertise. Within months, I had a steady stream of income that helped me regain financial confidence. Within a year, I wasn’t just recovering—I was thriving. My portfolio had grown steadily, my debts were under control, and my financial mindset had transformed. More than just money, I had regained my self-worth, knowing I had made decisions rooted in ethics, sustainability, and intelligence. Galaxy Ethical Tech didn’t just help me recover from financial ruin—they empowered me to build a smarter, more resilient financial future. My $500,000 mistake no longer defined me. Instead, it became the foundation of a new journey—one built on wisdom, responsibility, and ethical technology. Now, as I stand on stable ground again, I share my story to remind others: financial ruin is not the end. With the right technology, the right guidance, and the right mindset, recovery is not just possible—it’s inevitable.

    contact them via Email: galaxyethicaltech@mail.com Whatsapp: +15072712442 Telegram: Galaxy_ethical_tech

    79 Go to comments
    N
    Nategift2312 1 hour ago
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    4 Go to comments
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