For eight minutes at Twickenham last week we were shown a glimpse of what England could be - and what Marcus Smith is when he plays his club rugby across the road.
England scored 19 points without reply to salvage a draw against New Zealand when their autumn was bound for hell in a handcart. They scored three tries and did more than they had for the rest of the game, the previous two for that matter. And Smith was in the middle of it.
Until then England were a team playing with a fear of consequence. Beforehand I urged them to free themselves up and just perform. Only when the game looked to be gone and there was nothing else to lose, did they do so.
Eddie Jones says he wants Smith to play with a more aggressive mindset, to attack every opportunity. That much is good. But the mindset of the team is set by the coach.
It’s on him to set the conditions which empower Marcus to express himself. As I see it, as someone who played 10 for England a few times, those conditions are not in place.
This needs to change and quickly because at the moment England are doing no more than trying to squeeze results. It’s not working for them and it doesn’t work for the fans.
We all know these players are capable of so much more. As a supporter I’m never going to be angry or upset with them going for it because I genuinely feel that is their best route to success.
The best teams don’t wait and see. They make things happen. England managed it for 10 minutes, it’s high time they did it for nearer 80.
The coach, I repeat, is responsible for the nucleus of the team. Jones’ job is to set the DNA, which is then taken on by the players.
But the players must flex some muscle too. If there are bits they don’t like they have to say so. I’m not entirely sure those conversations happen.
Jones today needs to give Smith the license to thrill. To take the stabilisers off and tell him to just ride. Do that and England beat South Africa. Another mixed message and we’re back at square one.
