The surprising stat Fin Smith outperformed his entire back-row in and why he’s added a new ‘threat’ to his game
The surprising stat Fin Smith outperformed his entire back-row in and why he's added a new 'threat' to his game
Northampton Saints fly-half Fin Smith has revealed he’s recently added a “run threat” to his game, as he looks to evolve into a genuinely world-class player.
Speaking to Planet Rugby at the recent Prem launch day, he said: “I’ve tried to add a little bit more of a run threat and try and have a bit more of an eye for space.”
It’s not always worked out for him, however, occasionally getting caught by the incredibly fast-moving defences in today’s game.
“I think sometimes there’s a gap there, and go for it, and there’s not, and that’s when I end up having to truck it up,” he said.
“I don’t necessarily want to be doing that, but it’s something that I’ve added to my game, probably a little bit more of a run threat, and off the back of that, you end up carrying the ball a little bit more.”
He has certainly grown as a player over the past 18 months, and his playing style is becoming ever more apparent.
“I enjoy the physical side of the game and enjoy getting stuck in, and I think the games where I play my best are probably the more physical games I have,” he explained.
“Hopefully, [I’ll] pick my moments slightly better this year, so I don’t have to keep carrying. But yeah, it’s hopefully something I’m getting much better at.”
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An all-round physical presence
It’s not just in attack that his game is improving, but in defence too.
“I was into the boys last week, actually, because I made more tackles than our back-row last season,” he revealed on the latest episode of the For The Love Of Rugby podcast.
“They reminded me that most of them are negative, but I’m still in there,” he joked.
So why are Smith’s defensive stats so high?
“I love defending. I think it’s something I’ve always enjoyed, and it’s what gets me into games,” he explained. “Like the games where I defend the best, become my best matches.
“I think I’ve had it beaten to me from a young age, playing in the garden with my brother and my mates. I never wanted to be one of those fly-halves that people in the team think, ‘oh, he’s great on the ball, but he’s going to cost us a bit defensively’, and it’s something that I really pride myself on. So I enjoy doing it.”
At 24, Smith is coming of age as a top-level 10, and these attributes could set him apart in becoming one of the world’s best. In fact, comparisons have been made between Smith and the great Jonny Wilkinson already – a fly-half remembered for his huge physical impact on the game.