ELL OF A DUO

Owen axe means Genge and Borth ride again 

- ALEX SPINK

FIRST Steve Borthwick and Ellis Genge combined to lead Leicester to Premiership glory. Now England have come calling. 

Nine months on from Tigers’ Twickenham triumph, Genge is in line to skipper his country on the same pitch against France.

The move comes about as Borthwick prepares to axe Owen Farrell from the England side for the first time in eight years, with Marcus Smith set for a shock start at fly-half against France.

Smith will become the first player to be released by England to play club rugby seven days before starting a Six Nations match.

He will play at No.10, while Genge will take over the armband.