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According to rugby specialists, the young playmaker has shown that he merits the starting position for the national team's fly-half versus the All Blacks on Saturday.

The Northampton Saints star produced without doubt the best defensive performance we have seen by an English fly-half for quite some time.

How he fronted up by consistently making his tackles against an aggressive Fijian team was impressive.

His tactical control proved exceptional - he showed a perfect blend of finesse and composure, and made several crucial decisions during moments didn't proceed to plan during the opening period.

Tackling Prowess and Strategic Command

His capacity to calm the team tactically while making important decisions is something he has really mastered.

In my opinion, the young fly-half is England's number one playmaker and he should start against New Zealand next week.

I think head coach the England coach views it that way too, because Fin has demonstrated he can perform during important international games.

Squad Decisions and Competition

The experienced fly-half started last Saturday versus the Wallabies due to captaincy reasons, and part of that decision aimed at ensuring consistency while acknowledging his performance from the tour of Argentina.

But England's performance versus the Pacific Islanders was a significant improvement compared to the display against Australia.

The Wallabies were defeated on Italian soil on Saturday, so we should avoid becoming too carried away about that victory, which should have been more comprehensive considering how below par the Australians were.

Fiji, by contrast, proved significantly dangerous and presented a much more difficult test.

Long-term Potential

The young playmaker is still only 23 - looking ahead two years, alongside Ford challenging him while providing backup, I think Fin will be in an excellent place in his career.

The Harlequins star must also be considered as a possibility when appropriate and against the right opposition.

He is developing in his career while beginning to find his feet, but he also requires liberty to demonstrate his distinctive qualities.

Bench Impact

The All Blacks brought on their impact player, who scored the match-winning score to beat the Scottish team, demonstrating the significance of possessing individuals capable of creating genuine influence as substitutes.

That kind of player can be the deciding factor between winning the global tournament from failure.

The All Blacks substitute watches the match unfold from the bench while considering about how he can make an impact when he comes on.

His choices and error rate have improved significantly since his early professional days.

Positional Debate

Should we develop Smith to be that kind influential player, then having him in the backfield might prove beneficial.

Nonetheless, currently I believe he is the answer in the number fifteen position, so that is a role that is still unclaimed.

New Zealand will kick to challenge the English defensive line, therefore it must to be watertight.

It is a position that needs transforming into a real strength, both defensively while regarding offensive transitions danger.

Currently, I don't think Marcus is a full-back at the highest level.

I struggle to identify the advantage of playing him there.

I want possession in his hands as much as possible, but I believe that should be among starters, especially during the last 20 minutes.

Innate Qualities

Clearly there exist a lot of similarities between Ford and Fin Smith.

Smith possesses the ability to make right decisions during tense moments - his instincts are not something that can be taught.

I recall as he received possession during one phase just inside his territory appearing that opportunity existed on if they spread play.

But in those milliseconds he thought they needed reversing Fiji round as we are leading points-wise, so he kicked to pressure them back applying the screw.

That's the sort of fly-half play that wins championships while claiming World Cups.

All-round Ability

He additionally possesses that calmness under pressure directing teammates around him, while recognizing that he mustn't constantly serve to be the first receiver.

I hope to witness him receiving the opportunity demonstrating this at elite level next week, similar to George Ford do, especially at domestic matches week in and week out.

During the South American tour, Ford also stood up during challenging situations, previously you could argue there have been times where he didn't fully done so in the very highest-pressure matches.

I believe England possesses two fly-halves capable of performing the job, but with Fin's defence on top of everything else, establishes him as the better-rounded all-round player.

Tactical Setup

It also means there's no need to adjust the defensive structure when you have an assertive player occupying the playmaker position, instead of an individual being somewhat reserved.

One might make a strong case for Ford starting with Smith entering from substitution.

Numerous considerations occurring behind closed doors, however the management decide to go, it will give the opponents problems.

That has not always been the narrative facing New Zealand, when attention concentrated solely on selecting the right player.

This time, either playmaker they choose can put New Zealand significantly.

Fin's ability to pick the right kick while delivering for a potential territorial gains can take all the stress away from the national team.