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According to rugby specialists, Fin Smith has shown why he deserves the starting position as England's number ten versus New Zealand this weekend.

Fin Smith produced arguably the best defensive performance observed from an England fly-half for quite some time.

How he fronted up through regularly completing defensive hits versus an aggressive Fiji side was impressive.

His game management was also immense - he showed an excellent balance of skill and control, and made several crucial choices during moments were not going to plan during the opening period.

Defensive Excellence Coupled with Tactical Leadership

His ability to calm the squad tactically and make big calls is something he has truly mastered.

From my perspective, Fin Smith is England's primary fly-half and he should begin against the All Blacks next week.

I think the manager Steve Borthwick views it that way as well, because Fin has demonstrated he can perform in big international games.

Squad Decisions Amid Rivalry

The experienced fly-half started last Saturday versus the Wallabies due to captaincy reasons, with some aspect of that decision aimed at ensuring continuity and reward his performance from the tour to South America.

But England's performance against Fiji represented a marked step up from the performance versus the Wallabies.

Australia lost on Italian soil on Saturday, therefore we must not get too carried away with that win, that could have been more comprehensive considering how below par the Australians were.

Fiji, by contrast, proved significantly dangerous while offering a far tougher test.

Future Prospects

The young playmaker remains just twenty-three - looking ahead 24 months, with Ford challenging him while providing support, I believe Smith will find himself in an excellent position in his career.

Marcus Smith must also be considered as a possibility at the right time and against suitable opponents.

He is developing as a player and is starting to find his feet, though he requires liberty to show his unique attributes.

Substitute Influence

New Zealand introduced Damian McKenzie, who registered the match-winning score defeating the Scottish team, and that shows the importance of having players capable of creating a real impact as substitutes.

Such type of presence can be the deciding factor separating victory the global tournament or not.

The All Blacks substitute watches the game develop while substituted and thinks regarding ways he can make a difference upon entering.

His choices and error rate have improved substantially from his initial professional days.

Positional Debate

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

Nonetheless, currently I don't think he is the answer in the number fifteen position, so that is a role remaining unclaimed.

The All Blacks will kick testing the English backfield, so it has remain impenetrable.

It is a position that needs to become a genuine asset, both defensively and in terms offensive transitions threat.

Right now, I don't think Marcus is a full-back at the highest level.

I find it difficult to identify the benefit of playing him in that position.

I prefer possession in his hands frequently, but I believe this should occur among starters, particularly during the last quarter.

Innate Qualities

There are obviously a lot of similarities between Ford and Fin Smith.

Smith possesses the capacity executing the correct decisions during tense moments - his instincts represent traits you can really coach.

I remember as he received the ball at one stage within his territory and it looked like it could be should they spread play.

But in those split-seconds he thought the team required to turn Fiji round as we are leading points-wise, therefore he punted to pressure them back and turn the screw.

That's the sort of fly-half play that wins championships and wins World Cups.

All-round Ability

He also has composure under pressure to organise the players nearby, while recognizing that he doesn't always need as primary receiver.

I want to see him given the chance demonstrating that at the highest level next week, just as we have seen the veteran accomplish, especially at domestic matches week in and week out.

In Argentina, the experienced fly-half similarly excelled in difficult situations, previously you could argue occasions existed he has not quite delivered during extremely tense games.

I think we have playmaking options capable of performing the job, but with Fin's defence on top of everything else, it makes him the more complete all-round performer.

Tactical Setup

It also means you don't have to modify your defensive system when you have an assertive player in the fly-half position, instead of an individual being a little more passive.

You could also make a strong case for Ford starting and Fin Smith coming off the bench.

There are so many factors occurring privately, but whichever way the management choose to proceed, it will give the opponents problems.

This hasn't consistently represented the situation against the All Blacks, when attention concentrated solely on picking the right player.

On this occasion, whichever fly-half they choose will pressure New Zealand under real pressure.

Smith's capacity selecting the right kick and execute enabling possible territorial gains might relieve pressure away from the national team.