STEVE Borthwick has named his England squad for the start of the Guinness Six Nations next month.

Borthwick has included seven new faces in his squad for the tournament that begins with a trip to Rome to face Italy on Saturday, February 2.

One of those is the former Worcester Warriors Academy product, Fin Smith, who has been in fine form for his club Northampton Saints.

Smith, 21, has been one of the key men in a Saints side that have excelled on all fronts in the 2023/24 campaign so far. They sit top of the Gallagher Premiership and are already into the knockout stages of the European Champions Cup with a game to spare after winning all three of their pool games.

Worcester News: Fin Smith is the second highest points scorer in the Gallagher Premiership this season with 79 pointsFin Smith is the second highest points scorer in the Gallagher Premiership this season with 79 points (Image: PA)

Smith, who first played rugby with amateur side Shipston-on-Stour, burst onto the scene with Worcester as just the second 18-year-old to ever play for the club in a top-flight game, going from strength-to-strength before the unfortunate collapse of Warriors back in 2022.

He joined Saints shortly after and has continued to shine at Franklin's Gardens, which has now been rewarded by Borthwick in his England squad.

There was some debate over whether Smith would play for Scotland due to qualifying through his grandfather, but he is now in line to make his debut for England in this year's Six Nations that kicks off next month.

The other uncapped players in the squad include wings Immanuel Feyi-Waboso, Oscar Beard and Tom Roebuck, back rows Chandler Cunningham-South and Ethan Roots, as well as centre Fraser Dingwall.

Another former Worcester Academy product, Ollie Lawrence, is also in the squad following a similarly brilliant season with his club Bath.

Worcester News: Jamie George is the new England captainJamie George is the new England captain (Image: PA)

The squad will be captained by Jamie George, who takes over from Owen Farrell, who has stepped down from international duty due to family and personal reasons.