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According to rugby specialists, the young playmaker has demonstrated that he merits the first-choice spot as England's number ten versus New Zealand on Saturday.

The Northampton Saints star produced without doubt the best defensive display observed by an English playmaker for quite some time.

His courageous approach by consistently making defensive hits versus an aggressive Fijian team stood out remarkably.

His game management was also immense - he demonstrated an excellent balance of skill and control, and made some strong choices during moments were not going to plan during the opening period.

Tackling Prowess Coupled with Tactical Leadership

His capacity to settle the team strategically and make important decisions is something he has truly nailed.

In my opinion, the young fly-half represents England's primary fly-half and deserves to begin versus the All Blacks this weekend.

I believe the manager Steve Borthwick sees it that way too, since Smith has proven he can perform in big Test matches.

Team Selection Amid Rivalry

George Ford started last Saturday against Australia due to captaincy considerations, and part of that decision aimed at ensuring consistency while acknowledging his performance during the visit to South America.

However, the national team's performance versus the Pacific Islanders was a significant step up compared to the display versus the Wallabies.

Australia lost in Italy last weekend, so we should avoid becoming too carried away with that win, that could have been more comprehensive considering how below par Australia were.

The Fijian team, by contrast, proved significantly dangerous and presented a far tougher test.

Long-term Potential

The young playmaker is still only 23 - projecting forward two years, with Ford pushing him while providing backup, I believe Smith will find himself in an excellent place in his career.

The Harlequins star must also be considered as an option at the right time and versus the right opposition.

He is developing as a player and is starting to establish himself, but he also requires liberty to demonstrate his unique attributes.

Substitute Influence

New Zealand introduced their impact player, who scored the match-winning score defeating the Scottish team, demonstrating the importance of possessing players capable of creating genuine influence from the bench.

That kind of presence might represent the deciding factor separating victory a World Cup or not.

McKenzie observes the game develop from the bench and thinks regarding ways he can make a difference when he comes on.

His decision-making and error rate have improved substantially since his early career.

Positional Debate

Should we develop Smith as that kind influential player, then having him in the backfield could be beneficial.

Nonetheless, at the moment I don't think Marcus is the answer in the number fifteen position, making it a role that is still unclaimed.

The All Blacks are likely to punt to challenge the English defensive line, so it has remain watertight.

It is a position requiring to become a real strength, both defensively while regarding of the counter-attack danger.

Right now, I don't think Marcus is a full-back in top-tier rugby.

I struggle to identify the benefit fielding him there.

I prefer the ball in his hands frequently, though I think that should be among starters, particularly during the last 20 minutes.

Innate Qualities

There are obviously a lot of parallels between Ford and Fin Smith.

Smith possesses the capacity executing the correct decisions under pressure - his instincts are not something you can really coach.

I recall when he got the ball at one stage just inside his territory and it looked that opportunity existed should they swung it wide.

However during these split-seconds he thought the team required reversing the opposition as we are up on the scoreboard, therefore he punted to pressure them back and turn the screw.

That's the sort of fly-half play securing titles while claiming global tournaments.

All-round Ability

He additionally possesses that calmness during intensity directing the players around him, and the understanding that he doesn't constantly serve as primary option.

I want to see him receiving the chance demonstrating that at the highest standards soon, similar to the veteran accomplish, particularly during club level repeatedly and week out.

During the South American tour, the experienced fly-half also stood up during challenging situations, previously you could argue occasions existed where he didn't fully delivered in the very highest-pressure games.

I believe we have two fly-halves capable of performing the job, but with Fin's defence on top of everything else, it makes him the more complete versatile player.

Tactical Setup

It also means there's no need to adjust your defensive system when you have someone aggressive in the fly-half position, instead of someone who is somewhat passive.

You could also make a strong case for Ford starting with Smith coming off substitution.

Numerous factors that go on privately, however the management choose to proceed, this will present New Zealand problems.

This hasn't consistently represented the narrative against the All Blacks, where the focus concentrated solely on picking the optimal individual.

This time, whichever fly-half selected can put New Zealand under real pressure.

Smith's capacity to pick the right kick and execute enabling possible 50-20 can take all the stress away from England.