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'Marcus is not the answer... I don't think he's got what it takes'
Steve Borthwick inherited many problems when he replaced Eddie Jones as England’s head coach in 2022, but the defect that probably stood out most of all was their faltering attack.
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The current boss has done little to catalyse a sea change in this department, but has been quick to point out that it is the area that takes the longest to develop and he has prioritised addressing other concerning parts of England’s game, which is becoming increasingly well documented.
Plenty of answers have been thrown Borthwick’s way over the past year on how to solve this problem, but the solution that has frequently been suggested since Jones’ era is to start Harlequins No10 Marcus Smith consistently. Former South Africa centre Robbie Fleck is not convinced though.
The 25-year-old has recovered from the calf injury that kept him out of the opening three rounds of the Guinness Six Nations to take his place on the bench against Ireland at Twickenham on Saturday.
With Owen Farrell out of the Test picture for the time being, this was initially seen as the Six Nations where Smith could take hold of the No10 jersey having rarely been given the opportunity under Borthwick. Save for the opening 20 minutes against Scotland, Smith would have watched England’s listless attack splutter for the first three matches and been frothing at the mouth in desperation to play.
However, speaking of RPTV’s Boks Office recently, the 31-cap Springbok said he does not believe the Harlequin has what it takes to unlock elite Test defences, unlike a player like Scotland’s Finn Russell.
This is a bold claim, particularly as the 30-cap fly-half has spent much of his Test career so far behind Farrell and George Ford, as well as playing alongside an assortment of centres.
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The simple response to this view is to hand Smith a run of games in the starting XV. He has been robbed of that this Six Nations, and had to settle for being fashioned into a fullback during the World Cup, but will perhaps have the opportunity in New Zealand in July to test himself against one of the world’s best and prove Fleck right or wrong.
“I don’t think he’s the answer, to be honest,” the South African said.
“A great club player and against lesser Test sides, he will always open them up. But if you’re marking yourself against the best, which is the Boks and Irish defence systems, I don’t think he can unlock them.
“I think he’s too erratic, he will try the miracle stuff which may come off but in terms of a general game management point of view, I don’t think he’s got what it takes to deliver the killer blow against those top sides.
“The one guy I do think can do that is Finn Russell. He’s proven it time and time again. But Marcus is not the answer for me.”
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Whether Fleck believes Smith is not the answer for England altogether or not the answer under this current set-up and mindset is not necessarily clear, but his compatriot Schalk Burger suggested it is the current England regime that lets Smith down, saying he would thrive in a team like Scotland.
The flanker said: “If Marcus Smith was playing for Scotland, where they’ve got a different mindset where they attack- like Duhan van der Merwe’s third try is exactly that. Turnover ball, Finn probably the worst kick of his life gets charged down, somehow lands in a Scottish hand, gets over the gainline, the very next touch is a cross-kick again.
“He’s not afraid of making mistakes. And I think this English side, because they’re not playing the amount of rugby that Scotland would want to play, if you make a mistake it gets amplified and I don’t think that suits him.
“Whereas at Harlequins, he can play.”
Comments on RugbyPass
“Cortez Ratima is light years ahead of anyone on current form, while TJ Perenara has also skyrocketed into contention following the unfortunate injury to the talented Cam Roigard.” At last some sanity. Hitherto so many pundits have been wittering on about Finlay Christie to the point one wondered if they were observing a FC in a parallel universe where the FC they saw wasnt just the mediocre Shayne Philpott project of Fosters hapless AB reign in the real world. Ratima, Perenara and Fakatava are the ONLY logical 9s for Razor now Roigard is crocked.
2 Go to commentsThis game was just as painful as the Hurricanes game. It was real fork-in-the-eye stuff.
2 Go to commentsNow if they could just fire the Crusaders ground PA guy who likes to play his dance music and just loves the sound of his own voice the entire game, even when play is going on. And I thought their brass band thing of a few years ago was bad.
5 Go to commentsUnfortunately when you lose by far the two form players this season in Roigard and Aumua, you're left replacing two game changing Tanks with a couple of pea-shooters. Which is also about the speed of TJs pass.
2 Go to commentsBit rich coming from the guy with zero loyalty to anyone or any team, including happily taking a players place in a league world cup squad because well, SBW wanted to play in it and thus an already named player got told he was no longer going. And airing stuff like this, which may or may not be true, doesn't exactly say you're a stand up guy either SBW. Just looking to keep his name in lights as usual.
37 Go to commentsTamati Tua. …the Taniwha NPC midfielder. Ollie Sapsford, Hawkes Bay NPC midfielder…doing well
2 Go to commentsFiji deserve to be in the rugby championship, fans love seeing the Fijian national team play, the Fijian Drua is a wonderful idea but the players can still be stolen to play for NZ and AUS…
1 Go to commentsThe first concern for this afternoon are wheather forecast…
1 Go to commentsWhy cant I watch Rugby games please?
1 Go to commentsBeautiful shot from Finau, end of story. Gutted for Shaun Stevenson though.
4 Go to commentsThe Chiefs definitely didn’t win ugly. They had the superior scrum, a dominant lineout, and their defence was excellent once the Waratahs scored their two tries (thanks to some lucky refereeing calls mind you). They put pressure on the Waratahs lineout throughout the game, and the mind boggles as to why the referee did not award a yellow card or a penalty try against the Waratahs for repeated scrum infringements on their own try line before Narawa’s first try. And the Chiefs were slick with their passing and running angles on attack. It was a dominant performance all round, even with many questionable refereeing decisions.
1 Go to commentsWasnt late. Ref 2 assistants andTMO all saw it so who are you to say it was?
4 Go to commentsAre the Brumbies playing the Blues twice in a row?
4 Go to commentsBig difference from the Saders. Forwards really muscled up and laid a solid platform. Scooter brought some steel and I liked the loosie combination. Newell has been rather disappointing this season but stepped up big time - happy also to see Franks dot down. He should do that more often! Reihana had a good game and there seems to be more flair and invention with him in the saddle. McNicoll plays well from the back and is reliable plus inventive when he joins the line. Keep it up chaps!
5 Go to comments🤦♂️🤣 who cares who’s the best . All I know is the All Blacks have the star coach but have few star players now …
33 Go to commentsJe suis sûr que Farrell est impatient de jouer avec Lopez et Machenaud et d’être entraîné par Collazo… 🤭
1 Go to commentsAn on field red (aka a full red) in SRP must surely carry a bigger suspension than a red card given by the bunker as that carries a 20 minute team punishment. Had Damon Murphy abdicated his responsibility as a ref and issued both Drua players a yellow, which would have been upgraded to a 20 minute red by the bunker, that would have killed Australia and New Zealand’s push for the 20 minute red to be trialled globally from July this year.
11 Go to commentsEver so often you all post a Danny Care story that isn’t the announcement that he has finally re-signed for one more, victory tour season at Quins and I’m just like, “well you fooled me again!” My absolute favorite player ever, we need to make his final year at the Stoop (and Twickers) official already. I know he supposedly snubbed France but I won’t feel better until he signs.
1 Go to commentslate hit what late hit it wasn’t at all late and can clearly see he was committed before the tackle
4 Go to commentsChristian Lio -Willies 2 try perfomance was a standout. As was captain Scott Barrett. Up front was where the boys won it.They are a great team and players. Fantastic Crusaders , you can keep going.
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