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According to rugby specialists, Fin Smith has shown why he deserves the first-choice spot for the national team's number ten versus New Zealand on Saturday.

The Northampton Saints star delivered arguably the most impressive defensive display we have seen from an England fly-half for quite some time.

How he fronted up through regularly completing his tackles versus a physical Fiji side was impressive.

His tactical control proved exceptional - he showed an excellent balance of finesse and control, while executing some strong choices when things didn't proceed as expected during the opening period.

Tackling Prowess Coupled with Tactical Leadership

His capacity to settle the squad strategically while making big calls is something he has truly mastered.

In my opinion, the young fly-half represents England's number one fly-half and he should begin versus the All Blacks next week.

I believe the manager the England coach views it that way too, since Smith has proven his capability during important international games.

Team Selection and Competition

The experienced fly-half began last Saturday versus the Wallabies due to captaincy reasons, with some aspect of that choice was to provide continuity while acknowledging his form from the tour to South America.

However, the national team's showing versus the Pacific Islanders represented a marked step up from the performance versus the Wallabies.

Australia lost on Italian soil last weekend, so we should not get overly excited about that victory, that could have been more comprehensive given how below par the Australians were.

The Fijian team, on the other hand, proved significantly dangerous while offering a far tougher test.

Future Prospects

Fin Smith remains just twenty-three - looking ahead 24 months, with Ford pushing him while providing support, I think Fin will be in an excellent position in his career.

Marcus Smith also has to be regarded as an option at the right time and against the right opposition.

He is developing as a player while beginning to find his feet, though he needs the freedom to show his unique qualities.

Substitute Influence

The All Blacks brought on Damian McKenzie, who scored the match-winning score to beat the Scottish team, and that shows the significance of possessing individuals who can make genuine influence from the bench.

That kind of presence might represent the difference separating victory the global tournament or not.

McKenzie watches the match unfold from the bench while considering regarding ways he can make an impact when he comes on.

His decision-making and error rate have enhanced substantially from his initial professional days.

Positional Debate

Should we develop Smith to be that kind influential performer, then having him among substitutes could be beneficial.

Nonetheless, at the moment I believe Marcus is the answer in the number fifteen position, so that is a role remaining up for grabs.

New Zealand are likely to punt to challenge the English backfield, therefore it must remain watertight.

This role requiring transforming into a genuine asset, both defensively and in terms of the counter-attack danger.

Right now, I believe Marcus is a full-back at the highest level.

I find it difficult to identify the advantage fielding him in that position.

I prefer possession in his hands frequently, but I believe this should occur among starters, especially during the last quarter.

Innate Qualities

Clearly there exist a lot of parallels between Ford with Smith.

Fin has the ability executing right decisions during tense moments - his natural reactions are not something you can really taught.

I recall as he received possession at one stage within his territory and it looked like it could be on if they spread play.

However during these milliseconds he thought the team required to turn the opposition since England were leading points-wise, so he kicked to pressure the opponents and turn the screw.

This represents the type of fly-half play securing championships and wins global tournaments.

Complete Package

He also has composure under pressure to organise the players around him, while recognizing that he mustn't always need as primary receiver.

I hope to witness him receiving the chance demonstrating that at the highest level next week, just as we have seen George Ford accomplish, particularly during domestic matches repeatedly consistently.

During the South American tour, the experienced fly-half similarly excelled during challenging situations, where historically you could argue occasions existed where he didn't fully delivered during extremely tense games.

I believe England possesses two fly-halves who can do the job, though Smith's defensive work combined with everything else, it makes him the more complete versatile performer.

Tactical Setup

This also indicates there's no need to modify the defensive structure while fielding an assertive player in the fly-half position, instead of someone who is a little more passive.

One might present compelling arguments for Ford starting and Fin Smith coming off the bench.

There are so many considerations occurring behind closed doors, but whichever way the coaches choose to proceed, it will give New Zealand problems.

This hasn't consistently represented the situation facing New Zealand, when attention was simply on picking the optimal individual.

On this occasion, either playmaker they choose will pressure the All Blacks under real pressure.

Fin's ability to pick the right kick while delivering for a potential territorial gains might relieve pressure away from England.