Smith Steps in at Scrum-Half in England’s Victory Over Fiji
Marcus Smith took on the scrum-half position during England's 73-8 win over Fiji on Saturday, a role he last played during his school days. Despite the emphatic victory, Smith emphasized that England still has significant areas to improve.
England Aims to End Argentina’s Unbeaten Streak
England will face Argentina on Saturday at Estadio Unico Madre de Ciudades in Santiago del Estero, located 600 miles northwest of Buenos Aires. Argentina has maintained an unbeaten record at this 30,000-capacity stadium, which opened in 2021, having won matches against Scotland and South Africa.
"It's nice to get reaffirmation that we're on the right path," Smith told the Rugby Union Weekly podcast regarding the win over Fiji, which ended England's five-match losing streak.
"Obviously we're not perfect and there's a lot of things we need to work on, but we'll always leave it out there and commit as hard as we can to getting better."
"That record [Argentina's unbeaten run in Santiago del Estero] is there to be chased and broken, hopefully.
We want to finish on a high so that we can all enjoy our summer holidays and have something to smile about."
Match details:
Saturday 18 July, 20:10 BST kick-off
Estadio Unico Madre de Ciudades, Santiago del Estero
Live on BBC Radio 5 Live, , website and app, with live text commentary
Smith’s Performance at Scrum-Half
Smith assumed the scrum-half role after replacement number nine Alex Mitchell left the field with a hamstring injury with 23 minutes remaining. Although Smith is primarily a fly-half and has been used as a full-back for England over the past 18 months, he performed well in this stand-in position. His versatility has led to suggestions that head coach Steve Borthwick might consider naming seven forwards among his eight replacements.
"I used to play there when I was at school in Singapore and the Philippines," Smith said about his scrum-half role.
"I haven't played there or trained there for a while, but in my head, I try and simplify the game. I play what's in front of me, do the basics well, and I hope I did that for the team."
England’s Nations Championship Journey and Argentina Encounter
England’s upcoming match against Argentina marks the final leg of a three-week, 25,000-mile Nations Championship tour. This will be Smith’s first visit to Argentina, despite having toured with the British and Irish Lions last summer when England played two Tests against the Pumas.
Smith expressed enthusiasm about reconnecting with several Argentine players, including Rodrigo Isgro and Guido Petti, who are his teammates at Harlequins.
"I'm excited to try their mate [a South American herbal tea] and see my club-mates," Smith said.
"They are an extremely passionate people, who wear their heart on their sleeve and there's a lot of history in this game."
Additional Coverage
Pollock scored a hat-trick as England secured an 11-try victory over Fiji.
includes:
- Listen: Sport's Strangest Crimes - Bloodgate
- Listen to the latest Rugby Union Weekly podcast
