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According to rugby specialists, the young playmaker has demonstrated that he merits the starting position as England's fly-half versus the All Blacks this weekend.

The Northampton Saints star delivered without doubt the best defensive performance observed from an England fly-half for quite some time.

His courageous approach through regularly completing defensive hits against a physical Fiji side was impressive.

His game management was also immense - he demonstrated a perfect blend of skill and control, while executing several crucial choices when things were not going as expected in the first half.

Tackling Prowess Coupled with Tactical Leadership

His ability to calm the squad tactically while making important decisions is something he has really nailed.

From my perspective, the young fly-half is England's number one playmaker and deserves to start against New Zealand this weekend.

I believe head coach Steve Borthwick sees it similarly as well, since Smith has proven he can perform during important Test matches.

Team Selection and Competition

George Ford started last Saturday against Australia for leadership reasons, and part of that choice was to provide consistency and reward his performance during the visit of Argentina.

But England's performance against Fiji represented a marked step up compared to the display against Australia.

The Wallabies were defeated on Italian soil last weekend, therefore we must not get too carried away with that win, that could have been more comprehensive given how below par Australia performed.

The Fijian team, on the other hand, proved significantly dangerous and presented a far tougher test.

Long-term Potential

Fin Smith is still only 23 - projecting forward 24 months, alongside Ford challenging him but also offering backup, I believe Fin will be in a very strong position as a player.

The Harlequins star must also be considered as a possibility at the right time and against suitable opponents.

He is developing in his career while beginning to establish himself, but he also requires liberty to demonstrate his unique qualities.

Bench Impact

The All Blacks brought on their impact player, who scored the decisive try defeating Scotland, and that shows the importance of having individuals who can make genuine influence from the bench.

That kind of player might represent the difference between winning the global tournament from failure.

The All Blacks substitute observes the match unfold from the bench and thinks regarding ways he can make an impact when he comes on.

His decision-making and mistake frequency have improved significantly since his early career.

Positional Debate

Should we develop Smith to be such type influential performer, then having him among substitutes could be beneficial.

Nonetheless, at the moment I don't think Marcus represents the solution at full-back, making it a role that is still up for grabs.

The All Blacks will kick to challenge England's backfield, therefore it must to be watertight.

This role that needs to become a real strength, both defensively while regarding of the counter-attack danger.

Right now, I believe Smith is a full-back at the highest level.

I struggle to identify the advantage of playing him in that position.

I prefer possession in his hands as much as possible, but I believe this should occur among starters, especially during the last quarter.

Natural Instincts

Clearly there exist numerous parallels between Ford with Smith.

Fin has the ability executing right choices during tense moments - his instincts represent traits you can really coach.

I recall when he got the ball during one phase just inside his own half and it looked like it could be on if they swung it wide.

But in those milliseconds he calculated the team required to turn the opposition since England were leading points-wise, therefore he punted it to pin them back and turn pressure.

This represents the type of playmaking securing championships while claiming World Cups.

Complete Package

He also has that calmness during intensity directing teammates around him, while recognizing that he mustn't constantly serve as primary receiver.

I want to see him given the opportunity demonstrating this at elite standards soon, similar to George Ford accomplish, particularly during domestic matches week in and week out.

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

I think England possesses playmaking options capable of performing the role, but with Fin's defence on top of additional qualities, it makes him the better-rounded versatile performer.

Defensive System

It also means there's no need to adjust the defensive structure when you have someone aggressive occupying the playmaker channel, rather than someone who is a little more reserved.

One might make a strong case favoring Ford beginning with Smith entering from the bench.

There are so many considerations that go on privately, but whichever way the coaches 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 selecting the optimal individual.

On this occasion, whichever fly-half they choose will pressure New Zealand under real pressure.

Fin's ability selecting optimal kicks and execute enabling possible 50-20 might relieve pressure off the national team.