When Marcus Smith had a one-on-one conversation with Steve Borthwick on Tuesday afternoon at the England team base in Surrey, the head coach essentially gave him a sales pitch.
The meeting took place in the bar area of the Pennyhill Park Hotel in Bagshot, and if Smith had any sense of apprehension beforehand, it was justified. Those familiar with selection procedures are aware that individual discussions like this one typically do not bring good news. This instance was no exception.
Smith, the 26-year-old Harlequins fly-half, was told that Elliot Daly would be taking his place, and he would be serving as a substitute on the bench. It would have been interesting to eavesdrop on the conversation as Borthwick tried to present the situation as a new and exciting opportunity, although Smith likely understood the reality of the situation.
There is no hiding the fact that this is a rapid fall from grace for the poster-boy of English rugby. His star has fallen so fast that his prospects of earning a place on the Lions tour now seem increasingly remote.
It has been a shocking, demoralising demise. Last year, he made the No 10 shirt his own, through the summer tour of Japan and New Zealand, followed by a four-match Autumn Nations Series.
While the team stumbled to three defeats during that November campaign, magic Marcus remained the darling of the public. He was the one who provided all the bright spots. He was often the only one who ignited the home side’s attack.
Steve Borthwick has attempted to explain his reasoning for dropping Marcus Smith (pictured)
Smith will be a replacement for England’s Six Nations clash with Italy at the weekend
Borthwick described the star as ‘a game-changer’ in an attempt to justify the decisionÂ
He kept pulling rabbits out of hats. He brought the X-factor and the fans warmly acclaimed him. They cheered his eye-catching play and they booed when he was taken off in the defeat against New Zealand. But after he started in his preferred position in the opening game of this Six Nations, the ensuing switch to full-back suggested that writing was on the wall. Now, he is a back-up to the new Smith – Fin. His head will be spinning.
In a game against Italy which could have suited Marcus’s counter-attacking instincts, he is reduced to being a frustrated spectator, perhaps until the final quarter, unless injuries intervene. He has been dropped, however it is packaged; to him, to the media or to the public. But Borthwick still tried to explain the jarring decision on Wednesday.
‘I’ve been really clear and open with the players throughout,’ he said. ‘I understand that every player wants to start – it’s been the same for every England player in every generation. But we have a lot of talented backs with attacking ability.
‘Marcus has done so many things very well and when I talked to him, I said that he’s a game-changer – that’s the best way I can describe it. He has an impact on games. When he has the impact, it’s a different time of the game now to what it has been. Elliot Daly is starting at 15, he has trained brilliantly and I think he’s played really well when he’s come on in the last couple of games.’
When pressed on whether Smith – the demoted one – had not actually had enough of an impact to save himself, Borthwick added: ‘Marcus has done some really outstanding things. We all know that he has the ability to find space that other players can’t.
‘The exciting thing I’m looking forward to this weekend is unleashing him when there is a bit of fatigue on the pitch; a bit of space on the pitch. When he comes on with his freshness, I think the whole stadium will be excited to see him come in that second half on Sunday.’
Frankly, most of those in the stadium would have been happy to see Marcus Smith on the field from the out-set. There is no escaping the nagging concern that one of the country’s precious rare talents is in danger of falling between the cracks, when it had appeared as if a back line and an attack was going to be built around him, in keeping with his creative credentials.
Borthwick has spoken at length about the need for cohesion and he insisted that England’s short-cut to achieving that against the Italians – despite the changes at full-back and in midfield, where Fraser Dingwall has replaced Henry Slade – is due to the large Northampton contingent. There are five Saints in the back line and they should know how to play together.
The head coach added that Smith ‘trained brilliantly’ after being told of the shock decision
Meanwhile, the head coach is hopeful that the chastened, stunned Smith can respond to this major setback with a positive attitude. The signs are good. ‘There is no doubt I want competitive players,’ said Borthwick – when asked if those who are dropped should be infuriated by that.
‘But what I see with this group is they put the team first. I told Marcus about selection yesterday, and he went out and trained brilliantly, which is immense credit to him as a person.’ Now he has to play brilliantly – but even if he does, the danger is that he just doesn’t quite fit with the master plan, with the flying Fin at its heart.
