Opinion: Marcus Smith at a ‘crossroads’ after Lions struggles ‘exposed his flaws’
Marcus Smith after a British and Irish Lions game.
Owen Farrell looked confident and assured as he guided the British and Irish Lions to victory after he came on in the closing stages against an AUNZ Invitational XV.
It was a comfortable win for Andy Farrell’s side, and any Test player who is deemed good enough to have been selected for the Lions should be impressive.
However, it is easier said than done.
Owen Farrell will have silenced the doubters who questioned his late inclusion to replace the injured Elliot Daly, for now.
While his selection was a shock, there was one crucial question that arose surrounding another fly-half that has been included in the Lions squad for the tour of Australia.
What next for Marcus Smith?
What does this mean for the future of Marcus Smith at Test level?
The England international has struggled throughout the tour to this point, not being trusted to operate in his natural position.
Before the squad joined up, there was a belief that Smith would be a utility player for the Lions, but what has become evident since the Argentina match is that he is not able to operate at the highest level across the backline.
Smith may be able to play full-back and has done so on a number of occasions for England, but all his flaws have been exposed and brought forward a belief that perhaps his days at Test level are almost over.
A prolonged career in the international game is a luxury that not many players get.
Only the very best are able to reinvent themselves after their strengths have been identified and weaknesses are exposed.
This seems to be where Smith finds himself, at a crossroads.
There is no doubt he is a top player who is able to create something from nothing; however, his shortcomings in defence, particularly at full-back, should be a concern for Steve Borthwick.
Argentina v England: Five takeaways as Steve Borthwick finds ‘the answer to a problem position’
England demonstrated in their win against Argentina that there are other options at both fly-half and full-back who are better in defence.
Meanwhile, Andy Farrell clearly does not rate him at fly-half, as he has opted to select a player who has been injured for the majority of the past season to be an option ahead of him in this position.
Smith does not have the positional awareness or composure under the high ball that the world-class full-backs in the sport possess.
While he may not opt to do this, the 26-year-old should take some time to reflect on his experience this summer and have an honest look at himself and whether he truly believes he can play at full-back moving forward for England.
There will be no problem for Smith operating in the position for Harlequins, due to the level of the Premiership.
Smith should target becoming England’s first-choice fly-half once again, regaining this crown from Fin Smith.
The steady operator currently playing with Northampton Saints has been arguably the best individual in the fly-half position in England, with George Ford the other who could put his hand up for that title.
More reliable option
Fin Smith has shown he is a more reliable option in the position, despite maybe not having the natural ability to wield things to his whim like Marcus Smith.
However, Test managers will be looking for their general to be able to execute orders and run a game plan consistently.
This is a major advantage both Ford and Fin Smith have over the Harlequins star.
All in all, Marcus Smith will now need to assess what his next steps are to ensure he is to be part of the England starting XV, as he has been identified as a weakness at full-back, while his days as the first-choice fly-half appear to be over.
The end-of-year internationals will speak a lot about the future of Marcus Smith at Test level; however, he has the opportunity now to do something about it and to battle it out to not become a memory for English fans but to be a part of a brighter future for the nation.