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According to rugby specialists, Fin Smith has demonstrated why he deserves the starting position for the national team's number ten versus the All Blacks this weekend.

The Northampton Saints star produced without doubt the best defensive display we have seen by an English fly-half for quite some time.

How he fronted up through regularly completing his tackles against an aggressive Fijian team stood out remarkably.

His game management proved exceptional - he demonstrated a perfect blend of skill and control, while executing several crucial choices when things were not going as expected during the opening period.

Tackling Prowess and Strategic Command

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

In my opinion, the young fly-half is England's number one playmaker and he should begin versus New Zealand this weekend.

I believe head coach Steve Borthwick views it that way too, since Smith has proven his capability in big Test matches.

Squad Decisions Amid Rivalry

George Ford started the previous weekend against Australia due to captaincy reasons, and part of that decision was to provide consistency while acknowledging his performance from the tour of Argentina.

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

Australia were defeated in Italy on Saturday, so we should not get overly excited about that victory, which should have been by a larger margin given how below par Australia were.

Fiji, on the other hand, proved significantly threatening and presented a far tougher challenge.

Future Prospects

The young playmaker remains just 23 - looking ahead 24 months, with Ford pushing him but also offering backup, I believe Smith will find himself in an excellent position as a player.

Marcus Smith also has to be considered as a possibility when appropriate and versus suitable opponents.

He's progressing in his career and is starting to find his feet, though he requires liberty to show his distinctive attributes.

Substitute Influence

New Zealand introduced Damian McKenzie, who registered the decisive try to beat Scotland, and that shows the significance of possessing players capable of creating a real impact as substitutes.

That kind of player might represent the deciding factor separating victory the global tournament or not.

McKenzie watches the game unfold from the bench while considering regarding ways to create an impact upon entering.

His decision-making and error rate have enhanced substantially since his early professional days.

Role Discussion

Should we develop Marcus as that kind influential player, then having him in the backfield could be valuable.

However, currently I believe he represents the solution in the number fifteen position, so that is a position that is still up for grabs.

The All Blacks will kick to challenge England's defensive line, therefore it must to be watertight.

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

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

Innate Qualities

There are obviously numerous parallels comparing Ford and Fin Smith.

Smith possesses the capacity executing the correct choices under pressure - his instincts are not something that can be taught.

I recall when he got the ball during one phase just inside his own half and it looked like it could be should they spread play.

But in those split-seconds he thought they needed to turn Fiji round since England were leading points-wise, so he kicked it to pin the opponents and turn pressure.

This represents the type of fly-half play that wins titles while claiming global tournaments.

All-round Ability

He also has that calmness under pressure to organise the players nearby, while recognizing that he mustn't constantly serve as primary option.

I hope to witness him receiving the opportunity demonstrating that at the highest level next week, just as we have seen the veteran accomplish, especially at club level week in and week out.

During the South American tour, the experienced fly-half similarly excelled during challenging circumstances, where historically one might suggest there have been times where he didn't fully delivered in the very highest-pressure matches.

I believe England possesses two fly-halves capable of performing the role, but with Fin's defence combined with everything else, establishes him as the better-rounded all-round player.

Tactical Setup

This also indicates you don't have to modify the defensive structure while fielding an assertive player occupying the playmaker channel, rather than someone who is somewhat passive.

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

There are so many factors occurring behind closed doors, but whichever way the management decide to go, this will present the opponents difficulties.

That has not always been the situation against the All Blacks, where the focus concentrated solely on selecting the right player.

This time, whichever fly-half they choose can put the All Blacks under real pressure.

Smith's capacity selecting optimal kicks and execute for a potential territorial gains might relieve pressure off the national team.