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According to rugby specialists, the young playmaker has demonstrated that he merits the first-choice spot as England's fly-half versus New Zealand on Saturday.

The Northampton Saints star delivered arguably the most impressive defensive performance observed from an England fly-half for quite some time.

How he fronted up by consistently making defensive hits against a physical Fijian team was impressive.

His game management proved exceptional - he demonstrated a perfect blend of finesse and composure, and made some strong decisions when things were not going as expected in the first half.

Defensive Excellence Coupled with Tactical Leadership

His capacity to calm the team tactically while making big calls represents an aspect he has truly mastered.

In my opinion, Fin Smith represents England's primary playmaker and deserves to begin versus the All Blacks this weekend.

I believe head coach the England coach views it similarly as well, since Smith has demonstrated he can perform in big international games.

Team Selection Amid Rivalry

The experienced fly-half started the previous weekend against Australia due to captaincy considerations, with some aspect of that choice aimed at ensuring consistency and reward his form from the tour to South America.

However, the national team's performance against Fiji represented a marked step up from the performance against Australia.

Australia lost on Italian soil last weekend, therefore we must not get too carried away with that win, which should have been by a larger margin considering how off the pace the Australians were.

The Fijian team, on the other hand, were much more threatening and presented a much more difficult test.

Long-term Potential

Fin Smith remains just 23 - projecting forward 24 months, alongside Ford pushing him but also offering backup, I believe Smith will find himself in a very strong position as a player.

Marcus Smith also has to be regarded as a possibility when appropriate and against suitable opponents.

He's progressing in his career and is starting to establish himself, though he needs the freedom to show his distinctive attributes.

Bench Impact

The All Blacks brought on their impact player, who registered the decisive score to beat Scotland, and that shows the significance of having individuals who can make genuine influence as substitutes.

That kind of player might represent the deciding factor between winning the global tournament from failure.

The All Blacks substitute observes the game develop from the bench while considering about how to create a difference upon entering.

His choices and mistake frequency have enhanced significantly since his early professional days.

Positional Debate

Should we develop Smith to be such type influential player, then having him among substitutes could be beneficial.

However, currently I believe he is the answer in the number fifteen position, making it a role remaining up for grabs.

The All Blacks are likely to punt to challenge England's backfield, therefore it must remain watertight.

This role requiring to become a genuine asset, in defense and in terms of the counter-attack danger.

Currently, I don't think Marcus is a full-back at the highest level.

I struggle to see the advantage of playing him in that position.

I want possession under his control as much as possible, but I believe that should be in the front line, particularly during the last 20 minutes.

Innate Qualities

There are obviously numerous similarities comparing Ford and Fin Smith.

Smith possesses the capacity executing right choices under pressure - his natural reactions represent traits you can really coach.

I recall as he received the ball during one phase within his own half and it looked that opportunity existed on if they swung it wide.

However during these milliseconds he calculated they needed reversing Fiji round as we are up on the scoreboard, so he kicked it to pin them back applying the screw.

That's the sort of playmaking that wins championships while claiming World Cups.

All-round Ability

He also has that calmness during intensity directing the players nearby, and the understanding that he doesn't always need as primary receiver.

I hope to witness him given the opportunity to show that at the highest standards soon, just as we have seen the veteran do, especially at club level week in consistently.

In Argentina, Ford similarly excelled in difficult situations, previously you could argue occasions existed where he didn't fully delivered during extremely tense matches.

I believe we have playmaking options capable of performing the job, but with Fin's defensive work combined with everything else, establishes him as the better-rounded all-round player.

Tactical Setup

It also means you don't have to modify your defensive system when you have someone aggressive in the fly-half channel, rather than someone who is a little more passive.

You could also make a strong case for Ford starting with Smith entering from substitution.

Numerous factors that go on behind closed doors, however the management decide to go, this will present the opponents difficulties.

That has not always been the situation against the All Blacks, when attention was simply on selecting the right player.

On this occasion, either playmaker selected will pressure New Zealand significantly.

Smith's capacity selecting the right kick and execute for a potential 50-20 can take all the stress away from the national team.