The Albany Gazette - Marler backs Smith to thrive against Fiji

Smith, an attack-minded playmaker, takes the place of Freddie Steward, whose superb aerial and defensive game has seen him start 29 of the 30 Tests since his debut in 2021.

It will be just the second start in the No 15 jersey for the Quins fly-half after he took a starring role in the 71-0 pool demolition of Chile.

Without disrespecting the South Americans, Fiji should be another level altogether, but Marler was convinced Smith was more than capable of slotting in perfectly.

"He's a big-game player. I'm really happy for him to get this opportunity to start a game in a World Cup," the prop said of the 24-year-old.

"He'll thrive, he's shown it off the bench in games when we've needed him."

England coach Steve Borthwick said Smith had "embraced the opportunity" to switch from fly-half to full-back, saying that having "players who can play at the highest level in multiple positions is an incredible strength at the World Cup."

Borthwick added that it was a selection issue of horses for courses this weekend, sizing up a Fiji team perhaps less focused on a territorial kicking game.

"I analyse the opposition with my coaching team, we go through exactly how we want to play, then go through the selection process," he said.

"This starting back three is the right one for this weekend."

- Driving the standards -

Marler said Smith, who moved to England as a 13-year-old after being born and raised in the Philippines by his British father and Filipina mother, had always possessed a certain cockiness.

"He's had that early on to the point where I've had to turn around and say 'I'm going to have to say something to this guy!'," he said.

"I've been here (in Harlequins) 10 years and he's gobbing off at me, like 'You've got to get here, you've got to get there', driving the standards.

"Then you realise, actually he knows what he's talking about. The fact he had that confidence as a 17, 18-year-old, that desire to be the best and be part of a team that wants to drive and win, it blew me away when he was younger.

"He's managed to carry that on throughout his career so far. He's done it consistently at club level, it's about now doing it consistently at international level and what better place to do that than to start a World Cup quarter-final."

Marler admitted it took a little while to come around to getting to like someone he initially wrote off as a "jumped-up, entitled private school kid", who was educated at fee-paying Brighton College.

"Then when you realise how good he is at rugby and why he's doing what he's doing, I'm going to listen to him more because he's going to get us into positions where we can win more rugby games because he knows what he's talking about," he said.

"He quickly had the respect of the rest of the group because they know how good he was and how good he is as a player now."

Smith, although holding different attributes to Owen Farrell -- who was named at fly-half with George Ford on the bench, was "obsessed with wanting to be the best", just as the England skipper is.

"His drive to want to be the best every single day is infectious around the group and that's what stands out for me," Marler said.

"In a similar way to Owen, both their drives to be the best raises the standard of the group, otherwise you get left behind.

"The underlying passion and desire to be the best themselves and drive the team to be the best is what they're all about."

Marler added: "I'm full of confidence in his ability to thrive on that stage, albeit in the 15 shirt. To have the attacking talent he has, I'm full of confidence that he'll perform on the weekend."

(B.Ramirez--TAG)