GENCE TAKES A LEAD

Pivotal prop set to be captain

- 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.

Confirmation is expected today that Owen Farrell will make way for Marcus Smith to start at fly-half and Genge to take over the captaincy.

The Bristol prop, vice-captain under both Borthwick and predecessor Eddie Jones, has long been a leader in this team.

Indeed, England’s marked set-piece improvement can be traced back to the powerful message Genge delivered after what turned out to be Jones’ final game in charge.