The Rollercoaster Journey of Marcus Smith
It has certainly been an exhilarating journey aboard the Marcus Smith express over the past few years. I first boarded this train in support of the Harlequins fly-half during the challenging Covid-affected season of 2020-21. His audacious approach to attacking play, coupled with an extraordinary ability to read the game, was instrumental in guiding Quins to a memorable Premiership title, characterized by their jinking, smiling, and surging style.
However, the Marcus express has recently been sidelined once again, as Smith finds himself demoted to the bench for England’s upcoming Six Nations match against Italy this Sunday. This raises the question: has the journey come to an end, leaving us to mourn the underutilization of such a remarkable talent? Or could there still be unexpected turns in this rollercoaster ride?
Some have drawn comparisons between Smith and Danny Cipriani, the exceptionally gifted fly-half who earned just 16 caps for England, never quite managing to establish a lasting presence in the team. However, this comparison seems somewhat misguided, as Smith has already accumulated 42 caps, and there are influential voices within the England camp urging us not to write his Test obituary just yet. Emerging fly-halves like Charlie Atkinson from England A and Bath’s Orlando Bailey are viewed as lacking the qualities that Smith possesses, as well as his namesake Fin Smith from Northampton Saints, who currently holds the No 10 jersey and enjoys the favor of head coach Steve Borthwick.
Early Glory and Current Struggles
In the summer of 2021, at just 22 years old, Smith not only lifted the league trophy at Twickenham but also made his England debut and was called up for the Lions tour in South Africa, where he made a few brief appearances. Fast forward to the present Six Nations, and Smith has found himself struggling for confidence, having started the last two matches in the unfamiliar role of full-back, a position that does not truly showcase his talents.
Could England have done more under Borthwick, or even his predecessor Eddie Jones, to build a team around Smith that accentuates his strengths—perhaps even adopting a Harlequins-style game plan to support him? As recently as last March, the England bench featured five players from Quins: Smith, Joe Marler, Chandler Cunningham-South, Alex Dombrandt, and Danny Care. However, England has yet to field a big, ball-playing No 12 like Andre Esterhuizen, the South African who added both brute force and finesse to the Quins’ game, complementing Smith’s dynamic play. This intuitive understanding has been lacking in the England setup.
Throughout Smith’s England journey, 17 of his first 18 caps were earned in the No 10 position, often with Owen Farrell positioned alongside him at No 12, a partnership that failed to ignite. Under Borthwick, however, his status has become increasingly uncertain. Out of 14 appearances in 2023 and 2024, including the World Cup in France and an injury at the beginning of last year’s Six Nations, Smith has only started two games at fly-half, with three at full-back, and has come off the bench nine times.
The Shift in Dynamics
One might draw parallels with New Zealand’s Richie Mo’unga, Damian McKenzie, and Beauden Barrett, who have also faced similar struggles with positional shifts within the All Blacks. However, Smith’s current situation under the coaching of the more conservative Borthwick has left him without a clear identity as the first-choice fly-half.
There appeared to be a glimmer of hope for Smith when he started at fly-half during last summer’s tour and continued in that role in the autumn. However, Borthwick has already praised Fin Smith and his role in helping Northampton secure the 2024 Premiership title—a noteworthy parallel in itself. In the ongoing Six Nations, Smith’s jersey numbers tell a story of inconsistency: 10, 15, 15, and now, 23.
Given that few players in history are truly undroppable—consider Antoine Dupont or Martin Johnson, and even Jonny Wilkinson experienced a similar phase in his career—it may seem pointless to search for overarching lessons in Smith’s current predicament. Yet, the Twickenham crowd’s reaction to Smith’s substitution on Sunday could be telling, especially after they booed when he was taken off during November’s defeat to New Zealand, despite his creating England’s only try through a moment of individual brilliance.
Smith’s Persona and Future Prospects
Moreover, Smith has cultivated a persona within the England setup, being portrayed as a style icon in last year’s Six Nations Netflix documentary, which showcased his affinity for luxury, including a flashy Mercedes. His representatives at the Roc Nation agency have expressed intentions to elevate Smith’s profile in the USA, seeking to make him more relatable beyond the rugby sphere, mirroring PR strategies employed by stars like Real Madrid’s Vinicius Jr. and South African rugby icon Siya Kolisi.
It remains unclear how Borthwick perceives this, but during England’s training camp in York last week, a subtle indication of pushback against Smith’s preferred position emerged. England assistant coach Kevin Sinfield commented, “We have all seen the reports about how he loves playing 10. He is an outstanding 10, but I think he is also a very, very good 15.” He elaborated, “Given the modern game’s demands, having a second ball-player can be invaluable. Marcus excels when he has space, and his lateral movement puts immense pressure on defenders. Therefore, it makes sense to position him wider where the gaps are often larger. If we can develop him into a world-class asset at both fly-half and full-back, we gain more tactical options.”
As for this Sunday, anything could unfold. With center Henry Slade omitted entirely, and considering Smith’s subpar positional kicking from full-back during the narrow 16-15 victory over Scotland, England has opted to recall left-footed Elliot Daly. Borthwick has also lamented the team’s failure to capitalize on attacking opportunities, such as quick line-outs against Scotland—an intriguing observation if it serves as a critique of Smith, whose game is driven by such sparks of creativity.
Regarding Smith’s prospects for the upcoming Lions tour this summer, the situation is complex. While it may be a troubling sign for his future, England cannot select players solely to ensure their availability for another team. If Smith is deemed good enough to tour Australia, he will be selected. Conversely, if he finds himself with the England squad in Argentina, he can still make an impact. Only if Smith is absent from that tour, or relegated to a secondary role behind players like George Ford, Atkinson, or Bailey, will we truly understand if the winds of change have completely shifted him off course.
