brush

The pair’s exchange has become a running in-camp gag in the build-up to England’s final-round meeting with France on Saturday, with Smith, 5ft 11in, 13st 13lb and 15 caps, joking that he and Itoje, 6ft 5in, 18st 8lb, 101 caps, would settle a difference of opinion physically, rather than verbally, next time.

“I thought it was funny,” said Smith. “Me and Maro have been joking about it this week and I told him if he shouts at me like that again, I’m going to punch him!”

Itoje, usually a composed presence on and off the pitch, insisted his raised voice was not a lost temper.

“I didn’t really lose it!” he laughed. “You don’t often see me with a mic. I’m not always mic’d up but maybe I’m portraying a false image.

“Fin is my guy. The way I try to do things is to hear what my key decision-makers think of what is going on, and whoever plays 10 will obviously have an important role in that.

“It’s a good thing that people in the team feel they can express a view, and in sport, if anything, that’s the most kosher of fallouts that the world has ever seen.

“We have had far more blunt conversations between ourselves and other team-mates.”

England have had cause for frank discussions during this Six Nations after three successive defeats left their title aspirations in tatters.

Another against France would mean England finish with a return of one win from a Six Nations campaign for the first time since the tournament expanded in 2000.

England have only lost four games in a single edition of the 143-year-old championship twice previously – in 1972 and 1976.

Smith, who made his first England start in the victory over France last year at the beginning of a 12-match winning streak, is in an unfamiliar position.

KERRY Katona and her partner Paolo Margaglione are brushing off their drama-filled week with a night out in London.

The Sun revealed yesterday how Paolo was hit by Katie Price’s husband Lee Andrews in a bust-up during their recent trip to Dubai, where they went to visit the couple.

The incident was the first time Kerry and her partner were meeting her best pal’s new man, following their whirlwind romance, with the trip turning sideways just hours in.

But seemingly not letting it get to them, Kerry and Paolo headed to the capital from their Cheshire home to celebrate her daughter Heidi’s 19th birthday.

Heading to celeb hotspot Sheesh Mayfair, Kerry enjoyed cocktails as she filmed herself dancing with Paolo.

Appearing in high spirits, the pair giggled as Kerry captioned the clip: “Mums and dads on the loose.

SLURRED SPEECH

‘Pregnant’ Katie Price slurs in video after Lee PUNCHED Kerry Katona’s man

QUICK ESCAPE

Kerry Katona’s boyfriend fled the country hours after Katie Price bust up

“Can you tell we don’t get out often?”

In another video, Kerry planted a kiss on Paolo, who beamed for the camera.

Kerry and Paolo headed to Dubai last week for a Valentine’s Day getaway, where they met close friend Katie and her husband Lee, who are on their honeymoon after a surprise wedding.

While the two couples appeared in high spirits when Kerry and Paolo touched down in the UAE, Kerry later said that Paolo had to head home “urgently” due to a work commitment.

But yesterday, we revealed that the dad-of-two actually locked horns with Lee, who took a strike at him.

An onlooker told us: “Lee was having some cross words with Katie. He was acting in what appeared to be an aggressive manner.

“Paolo then appeared and stepped in. Lee seemed to be very angry and was shouting at him.

“It all got very heated and Lee threw some punches and one of them landed Paolo square on the head.”

The incident happened in a public part of the hotel where Kerry and Paolo had been staying, with onlookers seeing what went on.

Kerry is thought to not have been present at the time of the altercation.