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According to rugby specialists, Fin Smith has shown that he merits the first-choice spot as England's number ten against New Zealand this weekend.

The Northampton Saints star produced arguably the most impressive defensive display observed from an England fly-half for quite some time.

How he fronted up by consistently making his tackles against an aggressive Fiji side stood out remarkably.

His game management proved exceptional - he showed a perfect blend of skill and composure, and made some strong decisions when things didn't proceed to plan during the opening period.

Tackling Prowess and Strategic Command

His ability to settle the squad strategically and make important decisions is something he has really nailed.

From my perspective, the young fly-half is England's primary fly-half and deserves to begin versus New Zealand next week.

I think the manager Steve Borthwick sees it that way as well, since Smith has proven he can perform in big Test matches.

Team Selection Amid Rivalry

George Ford started the previous weekend against Australia for leadership reasons, and part of that choice aimed at ensuring continuity while acknowledging his performance from the tour of Argentina.

However, the national team's showing against Fiji represented a marked step up compared to the display against Australia.

The Wallabies lost in Italy on Saturday, therefore we must avoid becoming too carried away with that win, that could have been by a larger margin considering how below par Australia were.

The Fijian team, by contrast, proved significantly threatening while offering a much more difficult test.

Future Prospects

Fin Smith is still only 23 - looking ahead 24 months, alongside Ford pushing him while providing backup, I believe Smith will find himself in a very strong position in his career.

Marcus Smith also has to be considered as a possibility when appropriate and against suitable opponents.

He's progressing in his career and is starting to establish himself, but he also needs the freedom to demonstrate his distinctive attributes.

Substitute Influence

The All Blacks brought on their impact player, who scored the match-winning score to beat the Scottish team, demonstrating the significance of having players who can make genuine influence as substitutes.

That kind of player can be the difference separating victory the global tournament or not.

McKenzie observes the match unfold from the bench and thinks regarding ways to create a difference when he comes on.

His decision-making and error rate have improved significantly from his initial career.

Role Discussion

Should we develop Marcus to be that kind of impactful performer, including him among substitutes might prove valuable.

However, currently I believe Marcus is the answer in the number fifteen position, so that is a role remaining up for grabs.

The All Blacks are likely to punt testing the English backfield, so it has remain impenetrable.

This role requiring to become a real strength, both defensively while regarding offensive transitions danger.

Right now, I believe Smith is a full-back at the highest level.

I struggle to see the advantage of playing him there.

I want the ball under his control frequently, but I believe that should be in the front line, especially in the final 20 minutes.

Natural Instincts

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

Smith possesses the capacity executing the correct decisions during tense moments - his natural reactions represent traits that can be coach.

I remember as he received possession during one phase within his territory and it looked that opportunity existed on if they spread play.

However during these milliseconds he thought they needed reversing Fiji round as we are up on the scoreboard, so he kicked it to pin the opponents applying pressure.

That's the sort of playmaking that wins championships and wins global tournaments.

Complete Package

He additionally possesses composure under pressure to organise the players nearby, while recognizing that he doesn't always need to be the first receiver.

I hope to witness him receiving the chance to show that at the highest standards soon, similar to George Ford accomplish, especially at club level week in and week out.

In Argentina, Ford also stood up in difficult circumstances, where historically you could argue there have been times he has not quite delivered during extremely tense matches.

I think England possesses playmaking options who can do the job, though Smith's defence on top of everything else, it makes him the better-rounded all-round player.

Defensive System

This also indicates there's no need to adjust your defensive system while fielding an assertive player in the fly-half channel, instead of someone who is a little more passive.

You could also present compelling arguments for Ford starting with Smith coming off substitution.

There are so many considerations that go on behind closed doors, but whichever way the management choose to proceed, it will give the opponents difficulties.

This hasn't consistently represented the situation against the All Blacks, where the focus concentrated solely on picking the optimal individual.

This time, whichever fly-half they choose can put New Zealand under real pressure.

Fin's ability to pick the right kick and execute enabling possible territorial gains might relieve all the stress off the national team.