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According to rugby specialists, the young playmaker has demonstrated that he merits the first-choice spot as England's fly-half versus New Zealand this weekend.

The Northampton Saints star produced without doubt the best defensive display observed by an English fly-half in several years.

His courageous approach by consistently making his tackles versus an aggressive Fijian team stood out remarkably.

His game management proved exceptional - he demonstrated a perfect blend of finesse and composure, and made several crucial choices when things didn't proceed to plan in the first half.

Defensive Excellence and Strategic Command

His capacity to calm the squad strategically while making big calls is something he has truly nailed.

From my perspective, Fin Smith represents England's primary playmaker and he should begin against the All Blacks next week.

I believe the manager the England coach sees it similarly as well, because Fin has proven he can perform in big international games.

Team Selection Amid Rivalry

George Ford began the previous weekend versus the Wallabies for leadership considerations, and part of that choice aimed at ensuring continuity and reward his form from the tour to South America.

However, the national team's showing versus the Pacific Islanders was a significant step up from the performance versus the Wallabies.

The Wallabies were defeated on Italian soil on Saturday, so we should not get overly excited about that victory, that could have been more comprehensive considering how off the pace the Australians were.

Fiji, by contrast, proved significantly dangerous while offering a far tougher test.

Future Prospects

Fin Smith is still only 23 - projecting forward 24 months, alongside Ford challenging him but also offering backup, I think Smith will find himself in an excellent position in his career.

Marcus Smith must also be considered as a possibility when appropriate and against the right opposition.

He is developing in his career and is starting to find his feet, but he also requires liberty to show his distinctive attributes.

Substitute Influence

The All Blacks introduced their impact player, who registered the decisive score to beat Scotland, demonstrating the significance of possessing individuals capable of creating genuine influence from the bench.

Such type of player might represent the deciding factor between winning a World Cup or not.

McKenzie observes the match develop from the bench and thinks about how to create an impact when he comes on.

His decision-making and mistake frequency have improved significantly from his initial career.

Positional Debate

Should we develop Marcus to be such type of impactful player, then having him in the backfield might prove beneficial.

Nonetheless, at the moment I don't think Marcus represents the solution at full-back, so that is a position remaining up for grabs.

New Zealand are likely to punt testing England's backfield, so it has remain impenetrable.

This role that needs to become a genuine asset, both defensively and in terms of the counter-attack danger.

Currently, I believe Marcus is a full-back at the highest level.

I find it difficult to identify the benefit of playing him in that position.

I prefer possession under his control as much as possible, though I think this should occur among starters, particularly in the final quarter.

Innate Qualities

Clearly there exist numerous parallels between Ford and Fin Smith.

Fin has the capacity to make right decisions during tense moments - his natural reactions are not something that can be coach.

I recall when he got possession at one stage just inside his own half and it looked like it could be on if they swung it wide.

But in those milliseconds he calculated they needed reversing the opposition since England were leading points-wise, so he kicked it to pin them back and turn pressure.

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

All-round Ability

He additionally possesses that calmness during intensity directing the players nearby, and the understanding that he mustn't always need to be the first option.

I want to see him given the opportunity to show that at the highest level next week, just as we have seen George Ford do, particularly during club level week in and week out.

In Argentina, the experienced fly-half similarly excelled during challenging situations, where historically one might suggest occasions existed where he didn't fully delivered in the very highest-pressure games.

I think we have two fly-halves who can do the job, but with Fin's defensive work combined with additional qualities, it makes him the more complete all-round performer.

Tactical Setup

It also means you don't have to adjust your defensive system while fielding someone aggressive in the fly-half position, rather than an individual being a little more reserved.

You could also make a strong case favoring Ford beginning and Fin Smith coming off substitution.

There are so many factors that go on privately, but whichever way the coaches decide to go, this will present the opponents problems.

This hasn't consistently represented the situation facing New Zealand, when attention concentrated solely on selecting the optimal individual.

On this occasion, whichever fly-half selected can put New Zealand under real pressure.

Smith's capacity to pick optimal kicks and execute for a potential 50-20 might relieve all the stress away from the national team.