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Marcus Smith teams up with MLR's Miami Sharks in USA

Marcus Smith and Miami Sharks captain Tomás Maria Cubelli (Photo by Roc Nation Sports)

No sooner had the Guinness Six Nations drawn to a close than England’s Marcus Smith was jetting off to the United States during his time off.

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While his Harlequins team-mates, bereft of their England stars, were earning a comeback win over Saracens at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in the return of the Gallagher Premiership, England’s utility back was in Florida, teaming up with Major League Rugby’s Miami Sharks.

This was all part of Roc Nation Sports’ plans to build the 26-year-old’s profile across the Atlantic, with the men’s World Cup taking place in the States in 2031, and the women’s installment two years later.

The Sharks boast players Smith has faced in both Harlequins colours and in an England shirt, including Argentinian internationals Tomas Cubelli and Matias Orlando, who both started in Miami’s 31-12 loss to the San Diego Legion over the weekend in California. Any past rivalries were put to one side on this occasion, however, as Smith overlooked a training session before joining the squad for a meal.

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Smith’s stateside trip also saw him indulge in a sporting feast, watching the Miami Heat in the NBA and visiting David Beckham’s Inter Miami, for whom superstars Lionel Messi and Luis Suarez play.

The visit came during Smith’s rest period after a Six Nations where he featured in every match as England finished second. It was a Championship where he started in round one against Ireland as a fly-half and finished as a full-back as England registered a record 14-68 victory over Wales in Cardiff. Smith was joined in Steve Borthwick’s squad by the latest addition to RNS’ rugby roster, Ollie Lawrence, who signed a deal with the organisation in January.

Despite being almost 5,000 miles away, the 44-cap international did not miss his club-mates achieve an unlikely win over their London rivals in front of 55,000 fans, which lifted them to fourth place in the league.

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SK 22 minutes ago
South African rugby's top heavy house of cards

I think everyone knows that the SA teams are prioritising the URC which is why they have been so bad in Europe. The champions cup group stage fixtures couldnt come at a worse time for SA franchises. They come hot on the heels of the Autumn internationals and in December and Jan when its coldest in Europe and as hot as it gets in SA. During this period SA franchises have to leap from Africa to Europe one week after the next. SA franchises sometimes have to hop from Europe back to Africa and then back to Europe in 3 to 4 weeks. Mandatory Springbok rest periods are opted into by franchises to keep the players fit as the Springbok players cannot play year-round and injuries take their toll. Fatigue also sets in for players who have played non-stop since March as there is no global calendar. They don’t get a chance to regroup again until the six nations. SA teams prioritise what’s in front of them. The Springboks are top heavy and SA franchises are in Transition between the new and older generation. There are lots of youngsters coming through but they need more time at the top level. Coaching is also in transition in SA Rugby with many coaches at a young age. The age group levels SA has underperformed but the talent is there. Its coming through at franchise level and these players are getting great experience playing in a variety of comps. I would hardly call it a house of cards though. Succession planning has already become a reality. At Prop the Springboks are already replacing the seniors, at Scrum Half the Springboks are building depth and at 10 they have loads of options now and at 4 and 5 the Boks have used a host of players in recent years. Rassie has a plan for 2027 and the best coaching staff at international level. He has some difficult questions in front of him when it comes to the squad but is finding answers at the moment. Yes its possible Springbok performances could dip this year and perhaps in 2026 however I would not bet against them continuing to dominate while in transition. There were similar doubts cast about them last year and they proved the doubters wrong.

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