Selecting Marcus Smith at full-back for England’s World Cup quarter-final clash against Fiji would be Steve Borthwick’s boldest call.
The England head coach is expected to name the fly-half at 15 when announcing his team on Friday for Sunday’s last-eight meeting.
Owen Farrell is in line to return to fly-half, with George Ford expected to drop out of the starting line-up.
Should Borthwick also select Smith at full-back, as anticipated, both Ford and Freddie Steward would be hard done by in missing out.
Smith has honed his speed with both British Olympic legend Daley Thompson and former American footballer and coach Travelle Gaines in California. The 24-year-old has become England’s fastest player over 15 metres, showing startling acceleration at this World Cup.
England are now primed to try to take full advantage of that extra speed, in what would represent a seriously big call from boss Borthwick.
Smith at 15 would offer a considerable boost to England’s counter-attacking abilities. He can also add an extra dimension of creativity in the wider channels, which could prove decisive in converting try-scoring opportunities.
Smith has linked well with Farrell when he has appeared at 15 outside the England captain at fly-half, and the new pairing certainly offers a tantalising promise of attacking elan.
The 28-cap playmaker would have to steel himself for a high-ball onslaught, and England would accept that Smith ahead of Steward gives some ground in that regard.
Steward ranks among the world’s best operators under the high ball and is also an adept kick-chaser. Smith starting at 15 would lead to some rejigging in the backfield.
Joe Marchant remains a prized high-ball asset for England, with the former Harlequin able to operate at both centre and wing. The 27-year-old is likely to lend support to Smith in the backfield, with England also leaning on Jonny May on the other flank.
England’s biggest problem so far has been retaining the ball for multiple phases, Borthwick’s men unable to compose fluent and extended attacks.
The biggest matches are won by the boldest and most progressive calls — and England might just be on the cusp of one now
The forwards do deliver a strong platform at times, but that has slipped off at times in the tougher encounters.
Against Japan, England countered shortcomings in that department by kicking away in any situation in which they feared losing possession. They are not about to abandon that tactic now, and have admitted that they did not kick enough, or smartly enough, in the 18-17 win over Samoa last weekend.
The pack will need to win the collisions ahead of rucks and mauls in order to take control against the muscular and savvy Pacific Islanders. They will then have to get over the ball faster than their rivals, closing off the space and opportunity for the Islanders’ adept turnover hunters. If England can gain parity or better at the breakdown, they will stand a good chance of victory.
The lack of calibration in that key area so far has remained a cause of concern for England’s coaches, however.
The Ford-Farrell axis remains a fine option, but that particular playmaker pairing requires England to set a precise platform from their forwards through ruck dominance.
If Smith starts at 15 and Farrell at 10, as anticipated, then England will hope to find a way to attack with pace in the wider channels without the necessity for total breakdown control.
Farrell would be charged with making the key decisions on whether to put boot to ball and reset, or add width and bring Smith into the attacking equation in the three-quarter channels. Smith’s now-searing pace allows him to exploit opportunities not even open to others.
The biggest matches are won by the boldest and most progressive calls — and England might just be on the cusp of one now.
