Not the knockout blow Eddie Jones was seeking when urging his side to channel Muhammad Ali but mercifully it is always a safe bet Marcus Smith will float like a butterfly when afforded this much time and space. Italy’s 34th consecutive Six Nations defeat will not live long in the memory but this could yet prove to be a seminal moment in Smith’s England career.
The 22-year-old is destined for a long and prosperous run in the No 10 jersey and already you sense England’s World Cup hopes next year will largely hinge on Smith’s form. His performance here is significant in that regard because this was the first time that Jones has truly given him licence to showcase his full array of attacking talents, the first occasion where it has felt like he has his head coach’s total trust.
To illustrate, it was the 28th minute when Smith hoisted a high kick down the middle of the field to be contested. When he made his debut last summer against USA it was the very first thing he did but here, with the lively Harry Randall inside him, with Harlequins teammates Alex Dombrandt and Joe Marchant rarely far away, Smith was given the freedom of Rome by Jones.
Short of a battering ram at inside-centre – the role that André Esterhuizen performs so well for Harlequins – while Manu Tuilagi gets back up to speed, Jones gave Smith all the ammunition he needed to “light up Rome”. His determination to run with the ball, to play with his head up was evident throughout and it was little surprise that he got the ball rolling with the opening try.
Maybe the best compliment to be paid to Smith is that it does not bear thinking about how England might have performed had he not been on the field. Indeed, Jones rarely bows to external pressure but it felt telling that when he introduced George Ford in the closing stages Smith stayed on the field. That was less about versatility and more to do with acknowledging his performance had been too polished to withdraw him from the field prematurely, as he did against Scotland. It allowed him to produce a trademark goosestep late on – as England emerged from the slumber they slipped into in the second half it was he who fizzed a fine pass to Elliot Daly for his try. All be told it was a performance full of swagger from Smith, who displayed a maturity against Scotland but an assuredness here. A different challenge posed and another emphatic answer.
The intent was obvious the moment Jones announced a team with so many attacking threats but perhaps the most interesting selection was that of Randall at scrum-half, next to Smith, who also caught the eye. The 24-year-old has had his injury problems but he and Smith dovetailed well last summer and Jones clearly believes it is a partnership worth persevering with. That in itself is interesting because, those matches against USA and Canada aside, Ben Youngs had started every England match since the 2019 World Cup. It is a rare thing indeed for Youngs to be omitted from the starting lineup and the fact that this was the occasion when he equalled Jason Leonard’s all-time England caps record of 114 yet still he was benched felt telling.
For his willingness to trust Randall demonstrates his determination to broaden England’s attacking horizons and certainly the Bristol scrum-half provides Smith with a speed and crispness of ball that Youngs does not always offer. His kicking left plenty to be desired and it would be a bold move to start him against Wales but it must be said his withdrawal coincided with England’s slip into ennui. “[Marcus and Harry] made a really good start,” said Jones. “There was a lot of pace on the ball early. Marcus took the ball to the line really well in patches and Harry added that little bit of zip.”
What’s more, for all the promise that Smith and to a lesser extent Randall showed, there were times when England looked frantic. Max Malins had a fine match but early on he twice fumbled the ball and for all that Ellis Genge delivered a delightful assist for Jamie George’s second try, for Smith’s pass to Daly, equally there were some sloppy mistakes or missed opportunities.
Freddie Steward had a far more accomplished performance than against Scotland but he really ought to have found Smith on his inside in the first half while Dombrandt found himself running around in a circle at one point – evidence that the new attacking machine is not truly oiled just yet.
What will disappoint England supporters the most is the manner in which their side coasted to the final whistle in the last 20 minutes. It is entirely understandable that the levels of intensity did not come anywhere near to matching Saturday’s two gripping contests but still, supporters wanted to see England as Jones has urged them: to be ruthless and leave Italy on the canvas. In truth it was never a heavyweight contest but with Smith at the helm, chalk it up as an emphatic England win on points.
