The saga of Marcus Smith has another compelling chapter. Across the last 12 months, the fly-half-cum-full-back-cum-bench-impact-man has been a figure of rich fascination – in this enigmatic England side, he is perhaps the player who most embodies their curate’s egg qualities.
Were it not for a mishap in Girona ahead of last year’s Six Nations, Smith would have begun that campaign as Steve Borthwick’s starting fly half. After his injury opened the door, George Ford seized the shirt, before the veteran’s absence from the tour of New Zealand brought Smith back in. Eight consecutive fly-half starts followed; six games ending in tight English defeats even as their 10, at times, dazzled.
But the emergence of Fin Smith has forced him out of his preferred position, and from the starting side entirely for this weekend’s encounter against Italy. 42 caps into his international career, it feels as if we have never been less certain if a popinjay of a player, capable of such wonderful touches, will fulfil his grand potential.
“I think Marcus has done some really outstanding things,” Borthwick explained. “We all know that he has the ability to find space that other players can’t. The exciting thing I’m looking forward to this weekend is unleashing him when there is a bit of fatigue on the pitch, a bit of space on the pitch.”
Borthwick sought to underline that a demotion was not necessarily a slight on Smith’s showings, not a dismissal of what he has provided over the last two weeks. Rugby is a 23-man sport; the impact of Jamie George, Ben Curry, Elliot Daly and the rest of England’s bench in their last two outings is proof of how replacements can add huge value. “I think the whole stadium will be excited to see him come in that second half,” Borthwick added.
There may be truth to the idea that Smith could be at his best off the bench, enjoying the open expanses that the final quarter often offers. But the head coach also knows that every player wants to start. Even George, promoted to the starting side on the occasion of his 100th cap, spoke this week of how it still hurts when he misses out on the No 2 shirt. Smith, understandably, will be disappointed, particularly with British and Irish Lions selection looming and an ever-growing group of playmaking contenders.
He will, surely, come again. There will be those who, perhaps fairly, question why perhaps England’s most individually gifted attacker has been dropped given their urgings of greater extravagance and ambition, it is the collective that Borthwick clearly feels is better with Smith in an alternative role. In the backline, the head coach has chosen five Northampton players, continuing a canonisation of the side that he hopes will get the most out of Fin Smith and the rest.
“You're seeing a nine, 10 and 12 from the same club, two wingers from the same club, that understand each other,” Borthwick explained having brought Fraser Dingwall into the starting midfield. “There's a togetherness that has been built that's outside of an England camp coming in.
“There's usually been a dominant English club side in Europe that’s then given a lot of players to the England team. Whilst we're not quite in that situation right now, I think if I can find players that understand playing together, there is a natural benefit.
“Things happen quicker. There are things that happen without anything needing to be said. The players understand it. So, when I watch [Alex Mitchell] and Fin Smith and Fraser at 9, 10 and 12, their alignment and speed to position - the ball is getting to them without anything being called, without anything being said. There's an understanding there that I think is enhanced by just how much time they've been together.”
Dingwall was described by Borthwick as a “glue” player; a clear, concise, smart communicator who gets the best out of others. His inclusion breaks up the Ollie Lawrence and Henry Slade centre duopoly – the pair are split up for the first time in more than a year. The 25-year-old has long been liked by the England set-up, but opportunity has not always called for his facilitating skills.
With their two recent wins achieved by scrapping and scrambling, England are now looking for their attacking and defensive systems to click into place, making Dingwall’s strengths a natural fit. So too those of Daly, primed for a first run at 15 in England colours in almost four years. The Saracen, like the man he replaces, is something of a quandary, his utility sometimes counting against him.
Having emerged as a searing runner of the outside arc in the 13 shirt, Daly has been a vital component in World Cup campaigns as a sparky full-back (in 2019) and as a kick-chasing wing (2023) without ever really getting a run at the position to which he might still feel best suited. His raking left-footed punts have greater value in a side shorn of Slade.
England have pushed back over the last few days on criticism of their attacking game, a theme to which Borthwick returned after revealing his team. But the boos during the Calcutta Cup clash betrayed how expectant the Allianz Stadium crowd have become; against an Italian side to which they have never lost, the public will anticipate a performance, and not just a result, of which they can be proud.
“We wanted to play better against Scotland,” Borthwick conceded. “They played a really smart plan, immense credit to them, I thought they were very good. The week before we scored four tries against France, against a Shaun Edwards-coached defence. We did that last year as well. The week before that we went and scored three tries in Dublin and Ireland don’t concede three tries very often, especially not in Dublin.
“I’m seeing a team who want to attack and want to move the ball, and there were times two weeks ago we didn’t. There were opportunities that we didn’t take and we want to make sure we take them this weekend.”
