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According to rugby specialists, the young playmaker has demonstrated that he merits the starting position as England's number ten versus New Zealand on Saturday.

Fin Smith delivered arguably the most impressive defensive display we have seen from an England fly-half in several years.

His courageous approach by consistently making his tackles against an aggressive Fiji side stood out remarkably.

His tactical control was also immense - he showed a perfect blend of finesse and control, and made several crucial decisions during moments were not going as expected during the opening period.

Defensive Excellence Coupled with Tactical Leadership

His ability to settle the squad strategically while making important decisions is something he has truly nailed.

In my opinion, Fin Smith is England's primary fly-half and deserves to start against New Zealand next week.

I think the manager the England coach sees it similarly too, because Fin has demonstrated his capability during important international games.

Team Selection Amid Rivalry

George Ford started the previous weekend against Australia for leadership considerations, with some aspect of that choice aimed at ensuring continuity while acknowledging his form from the tour to South America.

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

The Wallabies were defeated on Italian soil last weekend, therefore we must avoid becoming too carried away about that victory, that could have been by a larger margin considering how off the pace Australia were.

Fiji, by contrast, were much more threatening while offering a much more difficult challenge.

Future Prospects

The young playmaker is still only 23 - projecting forward 24 months, alongside Ford pushing him but also offering backup, I believe Smith will find himself in a very strong place as a player.

Marcus Smith must also be regarded as an option at the right time and versus suitable opponents.

He is developing in his career while beginning to find his feet, though he requires liberty to show his unique attributes.

Substitute Influence

New Zealand introduced Damian McKenzie, who registered the match-winning score to beat the Scottish team, and that shows the significance of possessing players capable of creating genuine influence from the bench.

Such type of presence might represent the deciding factor separating victory the global tournament or not.

McKenzie observes the match unfold from the bench and thinks about how he can make a difference when he comes on.

His decision-making and mistake frequency have enhanced significantly since his early professional days.

Role Discussion

If we can get Marcus to be that kind of impactful performer, then having him in the backfield could be valuable.

Nonetheless, at the moment I believe Marcus is the answer at full-back, making it a position that is still up for grabs.

The All Blacks are likely to punt testing England's defensive line, therefore it must to be watertight.

It is a position that needs to become a genuine asset, both defensively and in terms of the counter-attack threat.

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 the ball in his hands as much as possible, but I believe that should be in the front line, especially in the final quarter.

Innate Qualities

There are obviously numerous parallels between Ford with Smith.

Smith possesses the ability executing right choices during tense moments - his instincts are not something that can be coach.

I recall when he got possession during one phase within his own half and it looked that opportunity existed should they swung it wide.

But in those milliseconds he thought the team required reversing the opposition as we are up on the scoreboard, therefore he punted to pressure the opponents and turn pressure.

This represents the type of fly-half play securing championships while claiming World Cups.

All-round Ability

He also has composure under pressure directing the players around him, and the understanding that he mustn't constantly serve as primary option.

I want to see him given the opportunity demonstrating this at elite level next week, just as we have seen the veteran do, particularly during domestic matches week in consistently.

During the South American tour, Ford also stood up in difficult circumstances, where historically you could argue occasions existed where he didn't fully delivered in the very highest-pressure games.

I think England possesses playmaking options capable of performing the role, but with Fin's defensive work on top of additional qualities, establishes him as the more complete versatile player.

Defensive System

It also means you don't have to adjust the defensive structure when you have an assertive player in the fly-half channel, instead of someone who is a little more reserved.

You could also make a strong case favoring Ford beginning and Fin Smith coming off the bench.

Numerous factors occurring behind closed doors, but whichever way the coaches choose to proceed, this will present New Zealand problems.

This hasn't consistently represented the narrative facing New Zealand, when attention was simply on selecting the right player.

This time, either playmaker selected can put New Zealand significantly.

Smith's capacity selecting optimal kicks while delivering for a potential 50-20 can take pressure off England.