'Marcus, please man, get off the pitch. Save something for the weekend'
Rejuvenated Harlequins have expressed delight with how Marcus Smith has been performing in recent weeks since signing his new contract, assistant coach Jerry Flannery adding that he is glad the youngster has been with them this spring rather than away on Six Nations duty with England.
With the 2021 Guinness Six Nations turning out poorly for Eddie Jones, there have been questions as to why he won’t shake-up his squad and make use of the likes of the 22-year-old Smith who is uncapped at Test level but has played for England against the Barbarians in 2019 and was involved in training camps last year.
England’s loss has been the gain of Harlequins in recent times, the clinical form of Smith to the fore in helping them overcome the loss of director of rugby Paul Gustard. The London club won their first four games post-Gustard and were only beaten last weekend by Newcastle by a late kick at Kingston Park.
All the while, Smith has been showing off his array of talents, an ability that Harlequins were chuffed to retain when the out-half inked his new deal at the club on February 10 after he had been linked with moves elsewhere in the Premiership and to the Top 14 in France.
“He is very, very ambitious,” said assistant Flannery, who arrived at Harlequins last summer before the restart of the 2019/20 Premiership campaign after taking a year out from coaching following his exit from Munster. “That is the thing when you meet him, he is not just talented but he is very, very ambitious.
Six Nations banter at Quins with Mike Brown on the receiving end#SixNations #PremRugby
https://t.co/8PJLJtLUyd— RugbyPass (@RugbyPass) March 3, 2021
“He is very driven. He is pretty much the last guy off the training pitch every single time in terms of the S&C lads having to manage Marcus. They say, ‘Marcus, please man, get off the pitch. Save something for the weekend’. So he is a hard worker.
“He is very, very talented and I suppose the fact that England haven’t gone well, everyone starts looking at him and saying he should be in with England. But he is playing well for us and I’m glad he is with is. I’m glad he isn’t with England at the moment because he is a really good player.
“He is still so young, he’s just 22, but he epitomises a lot of what it is to be a Harlequin with the way he plays. When Marcus is firing he is very difficult to mark because he can create something from nothing.”
Flannery added that Smith’s decision to remain at Harlequins was a massive boost internally for the club following the January departure of Gustard, who will coach next season at Benetton in the revamped Guinness PRO16.
“With Gussy leaving, if we were to lose Marcus and he was to move on, the game goes on always and we would have kept going but it would probably have seen as quite a negative thing from the club’s point of view.
“It’s well done to Laurie (Dalrymple, CEO) and (general manager) Billy Millard in securing Marcus. It is great that Marcus sees that the club has real ambition and a real plan on what it is looking to do over the next three, four years and he wants to be part of that.”
'Coming into a professional environment it’s probably a wake-up call' @alex_dombrandt had to shed 10kg when came to @harlequins He talks to @heagneyl ??? about uni, the assaults that nearly ended his career, England and why Gussy is off-limitshttps://t.co/PxmwYDAJOx
— RugbyPass (@RugbyPass) January 31, 2021
Comments on RugbyPass
Four Kiwis in that backline. A solid statement on the lack of invention, risk-taking and joy in the NH game; game of attrition and head- banging tedium. Longterm medical problems aplenty in the future!
1 Go to commentsGood article, I learnt quite a lot. A big sliding door moment was in the mid 00s when they rejected Steve Anderson's long term transformation and he wrote Ireland's strategy instead.
2 Go to commentsHi Dr Nick! I'm worried that I've started to enjoy watching England and have actually wanted them to win their last two games. What would you prescribe? On a more serious note, I've noticed that the standard of play in March is often better than early February. Do you think this is because of the weather or because the players have been together for longer?
10 Go to commentsMy question in all this brett is who is going to wear the consequences of these actions? Surely just getting the sack isn’t sufficient? A teenager working the till at woolies would probably get taken to court if they took $20 out of the till. You mean to tell me that someone can spend $2.6 million and get away with it? Where was it spent? What companies/people were the beneficiaries etc? How is it just being talked about as an ‘oopsie’ and we all just move on and not a matter of the court for gross negligence, fraud, take your pick…
18 Go to commentslove Manu too but England have relied on him coming back from injury for far too long and not sorted the position with someone else long term . It will be a blessing he has gone . Huge shame he was so injury prone . God speed Manu .
3 Go to commentsI agree with Ben Smith about Brett Cameron. The No. 6 position has to be a monster and a genuine lineout option, like Ollivon, Lawes (now Chessum), Du Toit, etc. The only player who fits that bill right now is Scott Barrett. A fit and fizzing Tuipolotu together with one of the young towers, Sam Darry or Josh Lord, would give Razor the freedom to play Barret at 6.
16 Go to commentsOutstanding article, Graham. Agree with all of it. And enjoy the style of writing too (particularly Grand Slap!).
2 Go to commentsI wouldn't pay a cent for that loafer. He just stands around, waiting for play to come his way. He won't make the Wallabies.
1 Go to commentsGood bit of te reo maori Nic. Or is that Niko or Nikora? On the theme of trees the Oaks v Totara. Game plan would be key. I have one but it would cost you.
10 Go to comments> Shaun Edwards’ You should not have to score 30 points to win a game, as exciting as it is. This statement was surprising to me. It is nonsensical .I guess it is a defence coach speaking. But head coach, defence and attacking coaches all work together. They are inseparable. You score more than the opposition to win. It only needs to be one score. You score whatever the game demands, whatever the opposition demand. You defend whatever it takes. The attack coach needs to be able to clock up 30pts if need be.
10 Go to commentsWho’d have thought, not having Farrell & Youngs kicking the ball at every possible opportunity and playing flat and allowing your centres to run and pass would pay off? No one could possibly have seen this coming. FML. It took a LONG time coming but at least that time has finally come. England need to find a backup to Lawrence. Freeman is the best candidate for me, I see no reason why he can't play 12. He's big, strong, fast and has great hands.
10 Go to commentsLove Manu but he's not the player he was and I imagine Bayonne have paid too much money for him.
3 Go to commentsNew Zealand have not beaten England since 2018 and even that was a pretty close shave.
1 Go to comments“a renewed focus on Scottish-qualified players” Scottish-qualified is another way of saying English. England has development more players for the Scotland national Rugby team in the last 4 years, than Scotland has.
2 Go to commentsThis sounds a lot like the old Welsh rugby proverb “Wales never lose. Other teams just score more points.”
5 Go to commentsFinally,at last, Borthwick has done what the whole of England have been crying out for. Ditch the kick chase and let the players have freedom to attack and run with the ball. It was great to see. Ford played really well and for the first time in ages was 5 yards closer to the gainline which then allowed a more attacking position . Pity it has taken 90 odd caps to do so. However, this has to continue and not be a false dawn . One issue. Marcus. With Ford having one really good game in 5 ,is he the answer long term . Smith puts bums on seats and is terrific to watch . How can you leave him out before he departs for France in disillusion . England are in danger of Simmons , Alex Goode , Cipriani , Mercer and now Smith being unable to get a selection ahead of “favourites” of the management regardless of form . Great to see England play so well .
2 Go to commentsCockerill was an abrasive player in the mould of a Georgian front rower who will have the respect of that pack. Looking forward to seeing what he can do with this exciting team, hopefully they can send a message to unions like Wales that money alone doesn't buy you wins.
2 Go to commentsI like the look of those July matches. Hopefully they'll get some good tests in November too.
2 Go to commentsThis is a poor article, essentially just trolling six nations teams
22 Go to commentsConnaught man? How you can write that without blushing.
6 Go to comments