Robbie Deans hire comes with added Marcus Smith benefit, insists Gilmore

England fly-half Marcus Smith will be one of the main beneficiaries of Robbie Deans’ work with Harlequins next season, according to head coach Jason Gilmore.

Quins announced that Deans will be joining the club as Performance Director this summer, and Gilmore says that the former Wallabies boss and All Blacks assistant coach will spend 12 weeks in the capital next season.

Gilmore admits that Quins need the side to step up and take some of the pressure off England international Smith, 27, and that Deans arrival will only have a positive impact on him.

“It will be someone for Smithy to be able to bounce off and discuss his progression as a player as well. So, I think there are a number of different areas that Robbie will be able to bring to the table, and it’s a massive positive for us,” said Gilmore.

“I’ve been saying all year, Smithy plays better when our team plays better. Now, he’s the man in the hot seat. He is the one who gets paid the big dollars to be our number one man.

“But I feel that Smithy is at his best when our team performs. It’s got to be both ways. Now, we expect performances out of Marcus, no doubt. And you look at the games we have won this year, he’s cleaned up the match awards in every game.

“So, I feel his effort and performance have probably been a little bit overshadowed by the team’s results. I think he’s played some brilliant games. He probably had a couple where he’s been a little bit frustrated, no doubt, but he wouldn’t be the only one.”

This season, Smith has been in and out of the England team, only starting one game against Fiji in the autumn and benched for four games in the Six Nations, and has copped his fair share of criticism on social media.

“I don’t think it bothers him. He’s definitely aware of his responsibility as our 10, as most 10s at every club are in such a pivotal position. He’s got such an influence on our group. So, he’s definitely aware of it,” said Gilmore, who was this week confirmed as Harlequins’ head coach beyond the end of this season.

“He’s a competitor and wants to win games. So, if we’re not winning games, he’s going to be frustrated. I wouldn’t expect anything less from a man like Marcus, but he’s getting older now. He’s maturing, he’s developing patience.

“Some of the games he’s played this year, especially the Sarries game that we won at the Stoop, like his game management, his kicking game, that one was probably different to how Marcus has played previously.

“And that was his call in terms of how he wanted to play that game. So, I definitely think he’s developing with it.”