Marcus Smith can become a better full-back than a fly-half, according to England’s assistant coach Kevin Sinfield, who has been the driving force behind his positional switch. Sinfield, who came up with the idea to move Smith to full-back ahead of the 2023 Rugby World Cup, remains confident that the experiment is worth continuing despite some mixed results.
Smith, who has long been a playmaker for Harlequins, started at full-back during the World Cup in games against Chile, Fiji, and Argentina in the bronze medal match. After a series of eight matches starting at fly-half, England coach Steve Borthwick decided to make a change. Fin Smith took over the fly-half role for recent games against France and Scotland, with Marcus shifting to full-back.
The move has shown promise, but it has not been without challenges. In particular, Smith struggled defensively against Scotland’s Duhan van der Merwe, and there are concerns about his ability to consistently handle the position. Despite this, Sinfield sees potential in Smith as a full-back, especially considering the current trend in rugby of employing two playmakers in the backline.
Sinfield emphasized that Smith’s strengths lie in his ability to operate in open space, where he can exploit gaps and stretch defenses. He noted that Smith is effective when moving laterally in tight situations, making defenders feel pressure. Given these qualities, Sinfield believes that playing him wider in the backline at full-back, where the spaces are larger, could help unlock even more of his potential. While Smith is primarily known for his skills at fly-half, Sinfield feels that playing both positions at a world-class level would provide England with more options and flexibility.
Though Smith’s full-back transition is still in progress, Sinfield sees the benefits of this experiment. He acknowledged that the player hasn’t had much experience at No. 15, both for his club and for England, which makes the adjustment challenging. However, Sinfield is adamant that this period of adaptation should not be discarded as a wasted opportunity. He is confident that Smith will improve with more time in the position and that both his fly-half and full-back play will evolve.
Looking ahead, England are preparing for their final two Six Nations matches against Italy and Wales, and Sinfield has expressed confidence in the team’s fitness. Key players like Tom Curry, Ollie Lawrence, and Ben Earl are nursing injuries but are expected to be fit for the upcoming matches. Unfortunately, second-row George Martin has been ruled out for the rest of the championship due to a shoulder injury.
Sinfield also discussed the possibility of England playing more matches outside Twickenham. While financial factors, such as matchday revenues, currently dictate that England largely plays in London, Sinfield sees value in taking Test matches to other parts of the country. He believes this would allow more fans, particularly from the North, to see their role models play in person. With the Rugby Football Union likely to prioritize the financial benefits of Twickenham in the short term, Sinfield hopes that future games could be played in other regions to help grow the sport across England.
In another change within the coaching staff, Felix Jones has returned to South Africa as an assistant coach after resigning from his position as England’s defence coach six months earlier. His departure stunned the Rugby Football Union, but Jones will now reunite with Rassie Erasmus. This move rules Jones out of consideration for a place on the British & Irish Lions tour of Australia. Erasmus believes that Jones’s experience in studying opposition teams in the Six Nations will provide significant value in enhancing South Africa’s preparation for future international competitions.
