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In expert analysis, the young playmaker has shown why he deserves the first-choice spot as England's fly-half versus New Zealand this weekend.

Fin Smith delivered without doubt the best defensive display we have seen from an England playmaker for quite some time.

How he fronted up by consistently making his tackles versus a physical Fijian team stood out remarkably.

His game management was also immense - he demonstrated a perfect blend of skill and composure, and made some strong decisions during moments didn't proceed to plan during the opening period.

Defensive Excellence and Strategic Leadership

His ability to settle the team tactically and make big calls is something he has truly nailed.

From my perspective, the young fly-half is England's number one fly-half and he should start versus New Zealand next week.

I think the manager Steve Borthwick sees it similarly too, since Smith has proven his capability in big Test matches.

Squad Decisions and Competition

The experienced fly-half started the previous weekend versus the Wallabies for leadership considerations, with some aspect of that choice aimed at ensuring consistency while acknowledging his form during the visit of Argentina.

But England's performance versus the Pacific Islanders was a significant step up from the performance versus the Wallabies.

The Wallabies lost in Italy on Saturday, therefore we must not get overly excited about that victory, that could have been more comprehensive considering how off the pace the Australians performed.

The Fijian team, by contrast, were much more threatening while offering a far tougher test.

Future Prospects

The young playmaker remains just 23 - looking ahead two years, with Ford pushing him while providing support, I believe Smith will find himself in an excellent place in his career.

The Harlequins star must also be regarded as a possibility when appropriate and versus suitable opponents.

He is developing in his career while beginning to find his feet, though he requires liberty to demonstrate his unique qualities.

Substitute Influence

New Zealand introduced their impact player, who scored the match-winning try defeating Scotland, demonstrating the importance of having players capable of creating a real impact from the bench.

Such type of presence can be the deciding factor between winning a World Cup from failure.

The All Blacks substitute watches the game unfold from the bench and thinks about how he can make an impact upon entering.

His choices and mistake frequency have enhanced substantially from his initial professional days.

Role Discussion

If we can get Marcus to be that kind influential performer, then having him among substitutes might prove valuable.

Nonetheless, currently I believe he is the answer at full-back, making it a role that is still up for grabs.

The All Blacks will kick to challenge the English backfield, therefore it must to be impenetrable.

It is a position requiring to become a genuine asset, both defensively and in terms of the counter-attack threat.

Currently, I believe Marcus is a full-back at the highest level.

I struggle to see the advantage fielding him there.

I prefer possession in his hands frequently, though I think this should occur among starters, especially in the final quarter.

Innate Qualities

Clearly there exist a lot of parallels comparing Ford with Smith.

Smith possesses the ability to make the correct decisions under pressure - his natural reactions represent traits you can really taught.

I recall as he received the ball during one phase just inside his own half and it looked like it could be should they swung it wide.

However during these split-seconds he thought the team required to turn Fiji round since England were leading points-wise, therefore he punted it to pin the opponents applying the screw.

This represents the type of playmaking securing championships and wins World Cups.

All-round Ability

He additionally possesses composure during intensity to organise teammates around him, and the understanding that he mustn't always need to be the first option.

I hope to witness him given the opportunity demonstrating this at elite level next week, just as we have seen the veteran accomplish, especially at club level repeatedly consistently.

In Argentina, Ford also stood up during challenging circumstances, where historically one might suggest occasions existed he has not quite delivered during extremely tense matches.

I think we have two fly-halves who can do the role, but with Fin's defensive work on top of everything else, it makes him the more complete all-round performer.

Tactical Setup

It also means there's no need to modify the defensive structure when you have an assertive player in the fly-half channel, rather than someone who is somewhat reserved.

One might present compelling arguments favoring Ford beginning with Smith entering from the bench.

Numerous considerations occurring behind closed doors, however the management choose to proceed, this will present the opponents problems.

This hasn't consistently represented the narrative facing New Zealand, when attention concentrated solely on picking the optimal individual.

This time, whichever fly-half they choose can put New Zealand significantly.

Smith's capacity selecting optimal kicks and execute for a potential territorial gains can take all the stress off England.