Probyn: With debts of £300m, the game has lost its way
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CHARLES Piutau feels England’s decision to drop Freddie Steward in favour of George Furbank at full-back shows the embarrassment of riches Steve Borthwick has at his disposal.
The 17-time capped All Black and current Tongan inter national Piutau is currently plying his trade in Japan Rugby League One with Shizuoka Blue Revs starring in the centres after departing the financially challenged Premiership to move closer to his family.
Leicester Tigers’ Steward had been an almost mainstay since breaking into the England team in 2021, aside from a brief experiment with Marcus Smith at 15 last year, with the serial bomb defuser a key part of England’s valiant effort against eventual winners South Africa in the closely fought World Cup semi-final.
However, Steward, who is known as one of the best under the high ball in the modern game, was dropped in place of his East Midlands rival at Northampton Saints, with Furbank scoring after five minutes in the 30-21 loss to Scotland.
Furbank had been in blistering form in the Premiership for Northampton, helping his side go top of the table heading into the Six Nations break and retained his place for the shock victory over Ireland and the closely fought loss to France on Super Saturday.
While Steward was left out of the squad for England’s final three games, former Bristol Bears and Wasps full-back Piutau, below, who played against both several times during his six-year stint in the Premiership, believes Borthwick may still chop and change between the two operating in a ‘horses for courses’ approach.
Piutau, 32, told The Rugby Paper: “Going from how Northampton have been playing and sitting top of the table, his form from club rugby has given Furbank that nod. It goes to show the competition in the position and will make both of those players even better which is a healthy thing for England going forward. Their style of rugby and how they play the game means they have different skillsets that are very good in their own aspects. Steve Borthwick can decide week to week which game plan he’ll opt for and who he’ll go with.”
Piutau’s former teammate at Bristol, Max Malins, missed out on the Six Nations squad and found minutes hard to come by in the World Cup but returned from a knee injury with venegance, scoring a try in last weekend’s 52-21 victory over Northampton.
Piutau is loving his new surroundings, with his brother Siale, who Charles played alongside at Wasps and Bristol, also in the Japanese top flight with Shimizu Corporation Koto Blue Sharks.
But he has also kept an eye on his former side from afar and believes Malins’ time in
