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According to rugby specialists, the young playmaker has demonstrated why he deserves the first-choice spot as England's fly-half against New Zealand this weekend.

Fin Smith delivered without doubt the most impressive defensive performance we have seen from an England fly-half in several years.

His courageous approach through regularly completing his tackles versus an aggressive Fijian team was impressive.

His tactical control was also immense - he showed an excellent balance of skill and control, and made some strong decisions when things were not going as expected in the first half.

Defensive Excellence Coupled with Tactical Command

His capacity to settle the squad strategically and make big calls is something he has really mastered.

From my perspective, Fin Smith is England's primary playmaker and he should start against the All Blacks next week.

I believe head coach Steve Borthwick sees it similarly as well, since Smith has proven he can perform during important Test matches.

Team Selection Amid Rivalry

The experienced fly-half started last Saturday against Australia for leadership considerations, and part of that choice was to provide continuity while acknowledging his form during the visit of Argentina.

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

Australia were defeated in Italy last weekend, therefore we must avoid becoming too carried away with that win, which should have been by a larger margin considering how below par Australia performed.

Fiji, by contrast, were much more threatening while offering a far tougher test.

Long-term Potential

Fin Smith is still only twenty-three - looking ahead two years, alongside Ford challenging him but also offering backup, I think Fin will be in a very strong place as a player.

The Harlequins star must also be regarded as a possibility when appropriate and against the right opposition.

He is developing in his career while beginning to find his feet, though he requires liberty to show his distinctive attributes.

Bench Impact

The All Blacks introduced Damian McKenzie, who registered the match-winning try to beat the Scottish team, and that shows the significance of possessing individuals capable of creating a real impact from the bench.

That kind of presence might represent the deciding factor separating victory a World Cup from failure.

The All Blacks substitute watches the match develop while substituted and thinks about how to create a difference when he comes on.

His choices and error rate have improved substantially since his early career.

Role Discussion

Should we develop Marcus to be that kind influential player, then having him among substitutes might prove beneficial.

However, currently I don't think he is the answer at full-back, making it a role remaining up for grabs.

New Zealand will kick to challenge England's defensive line, therefore it must to be impenetrable.

This role requiring transforming into a genuine asset, in defense while regarding of the counter-attack threat.

Currently, I don't think Marcus is a full-back in top-tier rugby.

I struggle to identify the benefit fielding him in that position.

I want possession under his control frequently, but I believe this should occur among starters, particularly in the final 20 minutes.

Innate Qualities

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

Fin has the capacity to make the correct choices under pressure - his natural reactions represent traits you can really taught.

I remember when he got the ball at one stage within his territory appearing that opportunity existed on if they swung it wide.

However during these milliseconds he thought they needed to turn Fiji round since England were up on the scoreboard, therefore he punted to pressure them back applying pressure.

This represents the type of fly-half play securing championships and wins World Cups.

Complete Package

He also has that calmness under pressure directing teammates nearby, and the understanding that he doesn't constantly serve to be the first option.

I hope to witness him receiving the chance demonstrating that at the highest standards soon, just as we have seen the veteran do, especially at domestic matches week in consistently.

In Argentina, Ford similarly excelled in difficult situations, previously one might suggest occasions existed where he didn't fully done so in the very highest-pressure games.

I think England possesses two fly-halves capable of performing the job, though Smith's defensive work on top of everything else, establishes him as the better-rounded versatile performer.

Tactical Setup

This also indicates you don't have to modify your defensive system when you have someone aggressive in the fly-half channel, rather than an individual being somewhat passive.

You could also present compelling arguments for Ford starting with Smith entering from substitution.

Numerous considerations occurring privately, but whichever way the coaches choose to proceed, this will present the opponents difficulties.

That has not always been the narrative against the All Blacks, when attention was simply on picking the right player.

On this occasion, whichever fly-half selected will pressure the All Blacks under real pressure.

Fin's ability selecting optimal kicks and execute enabling possible 50-20 might relieve all the stress away from England.