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In expert analysis, Fin Smith has demonstrated that he merits the first-choice spot for the national team's number ten versus the All Blacks this weekend.

The Northampton Saints star produced arguably the best defensive performance observed by an English fly-half in several years.

His courageous approach through regularly completing defensive hits versus a physical Fijian team was impressive.

His tactical control proved exceptional - he demonstrated an excellent balance of skill and control, and made several crucial decisions during moments didn't proceed as expected in the first half.

Tackling Prowess and Strategic Command

His capacity to calm the team strategically and make big calls is something he has really nailed.

In my opinion, the young fly-half represents England's number one playmaker and he should begin against New Zealand next week.

I believe the manager the England coach sees it similarly too, since Smith has demonstrated his capability during important Test matches.

Team Selection and Competition

George Ford started last Saturday against Australia due to captaincy considerations, and part of that choice was to provide consistency and reward his performance during the visit of Argentina.

However, the national team's performance versus the Pacific Islanders represented a marked step up compared to the display against Australia.

The Wallabies lost on Italian soil on Saturday, therefore we must not get too carried away about that victory, that could have been by a larger margin given how off the pace Australia were.

The Fijian team, on the other hand, were much more dangerous and presented a much more difficult test.

Long-term Potential

Fin Smith is still only 23 - looking ahead two years, alongside Ford challenging him while providing backup, I believe Smith will find himself in an excellent position as a player.

Marcus Smith must also be considered as an option when appropriate and versus suitable opponents.

He is developing as a player and is starting to establish himself, though he needs the freedom to show his unique qualities.

Bench Impact

The All Blacks introduced Damian McKenzie, who registered the match-winning score defeating the Scottish team, demonstrating the importance of possessing individuals who can make genuine influence from the bench.

That kind of presence might represent the difference between winning a World Cup from failure.

The All Blacks substitute watches the match unfold from the bench and thinks about how he can make a difference upon entering.

His choices and mistake frequency have enhanced significantly since his early professional days.

Positional Debate

Should we develop Smith as that kind influential player, including him in the backfield might prove valuable.

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

New Zealand are likely to punt testing England's backfield, so it has remain watertight.

It is a position that needs to become a genuine asset, both defensively and in terms offensive transitions threat.

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

I struggle to identify the benefit of playing him in that position.

I want the ball in his hands as much as possible, though I think this should occur among starters, particularly in the final quarter.

Innate Qualities

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

Smith possesses the ability executing right choices under pressure - his natural reactions are not something that can be taught.

I recall when he got the ball at one stage just inside his territory appearing that opportunity existed should they spread play.

But in those split-seconds he calculated they needed to turn Fiji round as we are up on the scoreboard, so he kicked it to pin them back applying the screw.

This represents the type of fly-half play securing championships while claiming global tournaments.

All-round Ability

He also has composure during intensity to organise the players around him, while recognizing that he doesn't always need as primary option.

I hope to witness him receiving the chance demonstrating this at elite level next week, similar to the veteran accomplish, especially at club level repeatedly consistently.

During the South American tour, Ford also stood up during challenging circumstances, where historically one might suggest occasions existed where he didn't fully delivered during extremely tense games.

I believe England possesses two fly-halves who can do the role, but with Fin's defensive work combined with additional qualities, establishes him as the more complete all-round performer.

Tactical Setup

This also indicates there's no need to modify your defensive system when you have someone aggressive in the fly-half channel, rather than an individual being a little more reserved.

One might make a strong case for Ford starting with Smith coming off substitution.

There are so many considerations occurring behind closed doors, however the coaches choose to proceed, this will present New Zealand difficulties.

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

On this occasion, either playmaker they choose will pressure New Zealand significantly.

Smith's capacity to pick optimal kicks and execute enabling possible territorial gains can take pressure away from England.