Marcus Smith makes positional declaration on visit to Messi’s Miami home
Marcus Smith has chosen a visit to the Florida home of Lionel Messi to reiterate his desire to still be considered a No.10.
The England playmaker lost his place at fly-half during the Six Nations Championship to Fin Smith, who played so well he is now pushing Finn Russell for the British and Irish Lions starting role.
Despite being his country’s outstanding performer in the autumn international series, Marcus Smith was axed from the stand-off role after England lost in Ireland, dropped to the bench against Italy and played at fullback against France, Scotland and Wales.
Fin the Smith named in Six Nations team of tournament
His demotion and positional switch has led some to question whether he will even make the Lions’ plane to Australia.
But on the day Fin Smith was named fly-half in the official Six Nations team of the championship, his namesake has made clear that he is not about to roll over in the race for number 10.
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On a visit to Miami Sharks, the Major League Rugby club who share training facilities with Messi’s Inter Miami in Fort Lauderdale, the Harlequins star was posed a series of quick-fire questions.
Saying he would rather win a World Cup than three Six Nations titles seemed fitting given his proximity to the turf regularly trodden by Messi, who captained Argentina to 2022 FIFA World Cup glory.
But his firmest response came when asked simply, “10 or 15?”.
“10! 10!! 10!!!” came the reply.
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Smith’s trip to the US, long planned by his management company Roc Nation in an attempt to build his international profile in the biggest sports marketplace of all, means the 26-year-old misses the chance to restate his fly-half credentials on a major stage.
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Harlequins play Saracens in the Gallagher Premiership on Saturday at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium used by American football when the NFL comes to town.
A 60,000 crowd is expected and in Smith’s absence Jarrod Evans starts in the 10 shirt with Jamie Benson assigned back-up duties.
Before leaving the Florida Blue Training Center, adjacent to Chase Stadium where the David Beckham-owned MLS franchise play their games, Smith was presented with a Miami No.10 jersey.
It was a Sharks one, rather than Messi’s, 1.5 million of which were sold in the first 24 hours after he signed in 2023. But it came with a handshake from another Argentina star, Pumas scrum-half Tomas Cubelli.
Smith’s visit is mutually beneficial as Major League Rugby is on a drive to thrive ahead of the 2031 men’s Rugby World Cup being staged in USA.
It comes in the week San Diego Legion announced All Blacks legend Ma’a Nonu had become a part-owner of the Californian club who, it just so happens, host Miami this weekend.
Roc Nation president Michael Yormark, who arranged Smith’s visit with MLR commissioner Nic Benson, believes his client can “transcend the sport of rugby” and has vowed to do all in his power to make it happen.
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