This looked to be the Six Nations for Marcus Smith to finally clinch England’s fly-half berth. The original apprentice seemed ready to work full-time, and conditions were quite good.
Owen Farrell, who looked set to move on as leader of Steve Borthwick’s side, announced his retirement from national service at the end of November. From there, Smith began to build a strong business.
He would later admit that his return to Harlequins, after World Cup training mainly as a surprise full-back, was difficult. After losses to Saracens and Northampton Saints, a 36-3 thrashing against Sale Sharks felt striking. Smith overshadowed his opponent, George Ford, with a clever kicking display illuminated by magical sparks. A week later he inspired an away win over Racing 92 with another excellent performance.
There were some doubts – Harlequins lost to Toulouse and Bath on consecutive weekends – but it is clear that Borthwick wanted to include both Smiths in his matchday squad for the Six Nations opener in Rome, with Marcus starting and the 21-year-old Finn on the bench . The English documentary This Rose captured the Monday meeting in Girona, where the team was read out. Smith sat next to Henry Slade and close to Borthwick.
However, he would injure his calf during training that day. The plans were changed again. Ford, a safe pair of hands to offset inexperience elsewhere, was parachuted into the starting role which he has retained ever since. But there has been a concerted effort to include Marcus Smith as much as possible.
On Valentine’s Day, which was also his 25th birthday, Smith was mentioned at the bottom of a Rugby Football Union press update following England’s narrow defeat by Wales. He would go to Pennyhill Park to continue his rehabilitation; a promising sign.
Although his part in England’s open training session at Twickenham on February 16 was conspicuously light – Smith spent a lot of time stretching with Bob Stewart, the team’s medical director, in a dead-ball area – he gave an on-field interview and he met supporters. On a later episode of This Rose he watched Love Island with Tom Roebuck, Chandler Cunningham-South and Immanuel Feyi-Waboso. During another, Smith and Ben Earl are captured while chatting in the Pennyhill Park spa.
While Jamie George spoke so movingly about the death of his mother, Jane, ahead of the Calcutta Cup match, the England captain mentioned Smith.
“My mother was probably the biggest English rugby fan there could ever be,” George told the BBC Rugby Union Weekly podcast.
“I’m very happy with the fact that she was very lucky when she followed me around the world and saw me play rugby. Every chance I got to leave camp, I would go visit her and the conversations we would have were like, “How’s Marcus Smith doing? How is his calf doing?’”
Entire Quins 8-9-10 combination under substitutions
The heartbreaking anecdote had a notable point; that Smith is a recognizable figure who has become dear to many English supporters. Of course, that shouldn’t affect the squad, although he and Danny Care will certainly shake up Twickenham on Saturday if and when they come off the bench, especially with the latter winning his 100th cap.
There is also a sense that Smith has served his probation. Interestingly, a call-up for Alex Dombrandt makes it the full Harlequins 8-9-10 combination among the replacements.
Eddie Jones often compared him to Richie Mo’unga, another darts player, and preached that he would become more confident and influential the longer he spent in Test matches. Smith now has 30 caps, a solid base that reflects Jones’ investment in him, and has shown signs of rounding out his game.
According to Stats Perform, Smith is averaging 333 meters per 80 minutes so far in this Premiership campaign, compared to 266 last season and 259 in 2021-22. That puts him second among all fly-halves in the league, behind only Ford (348). By the way, Alex Mitchell tops the Premiership log, with a whopping 496 kick meters per 80 minutes.
Smith has strived to keep opponents at bay and tease defenses with his boot, but his running is more powerful than ever. He is averaging 62 meters and 4.7 beaten defenders per 80 minutes with ball in hand this Premiership season, which equates to more than 13 carries per game. All of these offensive numbers are up from last season. He remains an elusive threat out of the backfield and on the gain line.
Fin Smith has an extremely exciting future. His unflappable, accurate performance in the wet and windy Thomond Park, when Northampton defeated Munster in January, oozed class. Ford will also feel like it has a lot to offer. It’s ridiculous to remind yourself that the Sale string-puller, a 94-cap veteran, is still only 30 years old.
Another calf problem for Fin has seen Ford and Marcus Smith fill Borthwick’s squad against Ireland. Ford and Smith were photographed at practice on Monday with a menu of calls, presumably indicating strike moves, scrawled on their hands.
Kevin Sinfield praised Marcus Smith’s impact off the pitch earlier this week, citing his “big smile” and a certain “bounce” about his attitude. Sinfield said Smith has been “a voice in meetings” while always staying true to himself. This is impossible to quantify, but one wonders whether the perception of a new beginning for England would have been different – especially more optimistic and patient – with Smith as the first-line flyer and therefore one of the faces of a new World Cup. bicycle.
Borthwick was unlucky in that regard, which is no trick for Ford, who saved the side against Wales in the second round with an excellent 50:22. Smith can also learn from his senior colleague’s defense. According to Stats Perform, Ford’s completion percentage is superior to Smith’s during their respective England careers (87 percent to 77 percent). Ford has made 24 tackles and missed two this Six Nations, and while the vast majority have given up ground, he has also lost the ball three times.
Felix Jones will no doubt urge Marcus Smith, who has become more tenacious and committed in defense in recent years, to use his acceleration to put pressure on attackers, as Manie Libbok does for South Africa. When Smith is reintroduced to the Test arena, everything will be under the microscope. That said, he is exactly the kind of presence that can energize England too.