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England fly-half Fin Smith says his “ears sort of pricked up” when he heard that Owen Farrell was not going to play in the Six Nations. <\/span><\/p>\n Smith, 21, was one of three number 10s chosen by head coach Steve Borthwick, alongside George Ford and Marcus Smith. <\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n Farrell, 32, <\/span>ruled himself out<\/span><\/a> of this year’s championship to prioritise his and his family’s mental wellbeing.<\/span><\/p>\n Smith told BBC Sport that he is “delighted” to be selected after impressing for Northampton Saints. <\/span><\/p>\n “I think when the news came out that Owen wasn’t going to be involved, my ears sort of pricked up. I thought hang on, there could be a good opportunity here,” he said.<\/span><\/p>\n Smith, who joined Saints in 2022 when Worcester Warriors collapsed, featured in last year’s Six Nations squad but was not included in a matchday 23. <\/span><\/p>\n England open their Six Nations campaign against Italy at Rome’s Stadio Olimpico on 3 February. <\/span><\/p>\n “I haven’t spoken to Owen,” Smith continued. “Obviously in previous camps we’ve trained together a lot and he’s helped me with things, but not recently. <\/span><\/p>\n “Steve [Borthwick] wants for me to just keep doing what I’m doing, he says he’s been impressed and I’ve got better at a lot of the things he wanted me to work on.”<\/span><\/p>\n Northampton’s form, which has taken them to the top of the Premiership, means seven players have been called up, <\/span> including Smith’s best friend Tommy Freeman.<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n “I think just the way we’ve been playing, the way we’ve been attacking, it’s a really good blueprint and hopefully something England may like to bring in, the style of game we play at Saints,” Smith said.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n