England star passes Lions audition in Wales drubbing as Andy Farrell licks his lips

Fin Smith passed his audition for a tour spot with the British & Irish Lions as Steve Borthwick’s England made if four in four. This 10 try win capped the Red Rosers’ best Six Nations since their victorious campaign in 2020 and was the sort of ruthless performance not seen for at least five years.

Northampton’s Smith, just 22, turned on the style in front of Lions boss Andy Farrell as England heaped more misery on the Welsh with his passing and kicking from hand and tee. This was their 17th straight defeat, and confirmed a second wooden spoon in a row and stand-in boss Matt Sherratt must be glad he is off.

England centre Tommy Freeman became the first man to score in all five rounds of the Six Nations, after Frenchman Philipe Bernat-Salles in 2001, when he crossed on 33 minutes.

Up front Bath prop Will Stuart, in his 50th Test, and Ellis Genge hammered the Welsh scrum and England’s back row of the Curry twins and Ben Earl went to town.

All of those put their hands up for summer tour places with Farrell who would have noticed Maro Itoje’s all-action display and his authoritative leadership. Itoje is now in a duel with Ireland’s Caelan Doris to lead the Lions and probably nudged ahead here.

There was even time for Borthwick to give Earl half an hour in the centre something that has happened before but not for the half an hour he got here.

Borthwick had been given an unofficial target of four wins in this Six Nations to match that tally of five years ago and has got there by hook or by crook.

The opening defeat in Dublin, where they gave Ireland the hurry-up for 40 minutes, stuck in the craw – but Borthwick had his fair share of luck in the narrow wins over France and Scotland.

Last week’s 47-24 win over Italy should have been bigger and England left themselves a hostage to fortune by not motoring past the Azzurri.

Borthwick ripped up his team in the wake of that Italian game – although he was forced into replacing crocked Ollie Lawrence at centre.

Wing Tommy Freeman moved there to give England some ball carrying muscle but the back three rejig with Marcus Smith back at 15 and Elliot Daly shifted to wing was a risky one.

Freeman’s shift to midfield has long been on the cards but Borthwick’s biggest punt was to pick a 23 with only two specialist locks in it, Ollie Chessum and Maro Itoje.

And the gamble backfired on 18 minutes when Chessum was taken off with a shoulder injury and Chandler Cunningham-South, a career back row, came in as a makeshift second row.

By then England were 14-0 up thanks to scores from skipper Itoje and Sale wing Tom Roebuck on his first start, after three caps off the bench.

Fly-half Smith was involved in both with his boot for the first and his passing game for the second. His pinpoint kick gave England a 5m line out, Itoje claimed Luke Cowan-Dickie’s throw and after a Tom Curry carry, Itoje piled over.

Then on 10 minutes, Smith fired out a long ball to Roebuck who bounced through some soft Wales defence to score his second Test try.

In between Wales full-back Blair Murray had one chalked off but after a brief nap England turned on the afterburners to lead 33-7 at the break, their biggest half-time lead against Wales.

Freeman, playing at centre, Cunningham-South with the bonus point score and Stuart put clear day light between England and the hosts.

England had a bit of luck with the Cunningham-South score with the ball coming off Genge’s head and Elliot Daly had the same fortune when his bonce helped Alex Mitchell sprint over for a sixth try. But with Henry Pollock, scoring twice on his debut, and Joe Heyes going over at the end England were anything but lucky.

Scorers

Wales: Try: Thomas (2); Cons: Anscombe, Evans

England: Tries: Itoje, Roebuck, Freeman, Cunningham-South (2), Stuart, Mitchell, Pollock (2), Heyes; Cons: F.Smith (5), M.Smith (4)