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According to rugby specialists, the young playmaker has demonstrated that he merits the starting position as England's fly-half against the All Blacks on Saturday.

Fin Smith delivered without doubt the best defensive performance we have seen by an English playmaker in several years.

His courageous approach by consistently making defensive hits versus a physical Fiji side was impressive.

His game management proved exceptional - he showed an excellent balance of finesse and composure, and made some strong decisions when things didn't proceed to plan during the opening period.

Defensive Excellence Coupled with Tactical Leadership

His ability to calm the squad strategically and make important decisions is something he has truly nailed.

From my perspective, Fin Smith represents England's primary fly-half and deserves to begin against New Zealand next week.

I believe the manager Steve Borthwick views it similarly as well, since Smith has proven he can perform in big Test matches.

Team Selection and Competition

George Ford started last Saturday against Australia due to captaincy reasons, and part of that choice aimed at ensuring consistency and reward his performance during the visit of Argentina.

But England's performance against Fiji was a significant improvement from the performance versus the Wallabies.

The Wallabies lost on Italian soil on Saturday, therefore we must avoid becoming overly excited about that victory, that could have been by a larger margin considering how off the pace the Australians were.

The Fijian team, by contrast, were much more dangerous and presented a far tougher challenge.

Long-term Potential

Fin Smith remains just 23 - projecting forward 24 months, with Ford pushing him but also offering support, I think Smith will find himself in a very strong position in his career.

The Harlequins star also has to be considered as a possibility at the right time and against suitable opponents.

He's progressing as a player and is starting to establish himself, but he also needs the freedom to demonstrate his distinctive qualities.

Bench Impact

New Zealand introduced Damian McKenzie, who registered the match-winning try defeating Scotland, and that shows the importance of having individuals who can make a real impact from the bench.

Such type of player can be the difference separating victory the global tournament from failure.

McKenzie observes the match develop while substituted and thinks about how to create a difference when he comes on.

His choices and error rate have improved significantly from his initial professional days.

Positional Debate

If we can get Marcus as that kind of impactful performer, including him in the backfield might prove valuable.

However, at the moment I believe Marcus represents the solution at full-back, making it a role that is still up for grabs.

The All Blacks are likely to punt to challenge the English defensive line, therefore it must remain impenetrable.

It is a position requiring transforming into a genuine asset, both defensively and in terms offensive transitions danger.

Currently, I don't think Smith functions as full-back at the highest level.

I find it difficult to see the advantage fielding him there.

I prefer the ball in his hands frequently, though I think that should be among starters, particularly in the final quarter.

Innate Qualities

There are obviously a lot of similarities comparing Ford with Smith.

Fin has the capacity executing the correct choices during tense moments - his natural reactions represent traits you can really taught.

I remember as he received the ball during one phase just inside his own half appearing like it could be should they swung it wide.

But in those split-seconds he thought they needed reversing the opposition as we are leading points-wise, therefore he punted to pressure them back applying pressure.

This represents the type of playmaking that wins titles while claiming global tournaments.

All-round Ability

He additionally possesses composure under pressure directing the players nearby, while recognizing that he mustn't always need as primary option.

I want to see him receiving the opportunity demonstrating this at elite standards soon, similar to the veteran do, especially at domestic matches repeatedly consistently.

In Argentina, Ford similarly excelled during challenging circumstances, previously you could argue occasions existed where he didn't fully delivered during extremely tense games.

I think we have playmaking options capable of performing the job, though Smith's defensive work combined with additional qualities, establishes him as the more complete versatile player.

Defensive System

This also indicates you don't have to adjust your defensive system when you have an assertive player in the fly-half channel, rather than an individual being a little more reserved.

One might present compelling arguments favoring Ford beginning with Smith entering from the bench.

Numerous considerations occurring behind closed doors, but whichever way the management decide to go, it will give New Zealand difficulties.

This hasn't consistently represented the situation against the All Blacks, when attention was simply on picking the optimal individual.

On this occasion, either playmaker they choose can put the All Blacks significantly.

Fin's ability to pick the right kick while delivering for a potential 50-20 might relieve all the stress off the national team.