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In expert analysis, the young playmaker has demonstrated that he merits the starting position for the national team's number ten versus the All Blacks on Saturday.

The Northampton Saints star delivered without doubt the most impressive defensive performance observed by an English fly-half for quite some time.

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

His game management proved exceptional - he demonstrated a perfect blend of skill and control, and made several crucial decisions when things were not going to plan during the opening period.

Tackling Prowess and Strategic Leadership

His capacity to calm the team strategically while making big calls represents an aspect he has really mastered.

From my perspective, the young fly-half represents England's number one fly-half and he should start versus the All Blacks this weekend.

I think head coach the England coach sees it similarly as well, since Smith has demonstrated he can perform during important Test matches.

Team Selection Amid Rivalry

The experienced fly-half started last Saturday against Australia due to captaincy considerations, with some aspect of that decision was to provide consistency and reward his form during the visit to South America.

However, the national team's performance against Fiji was a significant improvement compared to the display against Australia.

The Wallabies were defeated on Italian soil on Saturday, therefore we must not get overly excited about that victory, that could have been by a larger margin considering how below par the Australians performed.

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

Long-term Potential

Fin Smith remains just 23 - projecting forward two years, alongside Ford challenging him while providing support, I think Fin will be in an excellent place as a player.

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

He's progressing as a player while beginning to establish himself, though he requires liberty to demonstrate his unique qualities.

Substitute Influence

New Zealand introduced their impact player, who registered the match-winning score to beat the Scottish team, demonstrating the significance of having players who can make a real impact from the bench.

That kind of presence might represent the deciding factor between winning a World Cup from failure.

McKenzie watches the match unfold while substituted and thinks about how he can make a difference upon entering.

His decision-making and error rate have enhanced substantially since his early professional days.

Role Discussion

If we can get Smith as that kind of impactful player, then having him in the backfield could be beneficial.

Nonetheless, currently I don't think Marcus is the answer at full-back, making it a role that is still up for grabs.

New Zealand are likely to punt testing the English backfield, therefore it must to be impenetrable.

This role requiring transforming into a genuine asset, both defensively and in terms of the counter-attack threat.

Currently, I don't think Smith functions as full-back at the highest level.

I find it difficult to see the advantage fielding him there.

I want the ball under his control as much as possible, but I believe this should occur in the front line, especially in the final quarter.

Natural Instincts

Clearly there exist numerous similarities between Ford and Fin Smith.

Fin has the capacity to make the correct decisions during tense moments - his instincts are not something that can be coach.

I recall when he got the ball at one stage within his own half appearing like it could be should they spread play.

But in those milliseconds he calculated the team required reversing the opposition as we are leading points-wise, therefore he punted to pressure them back and turn pressure.

This represents the type of fly-half play securing titles and wins global tournaments.

All-round Ability

He also has that calmness under pressure to organise teammates nearby, while recognizing that he mustn't constantly serve as primary option.

I want to see him given the chance to show this at elite standards soon, similar to the veteran do, particularly during domestic matches week in and week out.

In Argentina, Ford similarly excelled during challenging circumstances, where historically one might suggest occasions existed he has not quite done so during extremely tense games.

I think we have playmaking options capable of performing the job, but with Fin's defence on top of additional qualities, it makes him the better-rounded versatile player.

Defensive System

It also means you don't have to modify your defensive system while fielding someone aggressive in the fly-half position, rather than someone who is a little more reserved.

You could also present compelling arguments favoring Ford beginning and Fin Smith coming off the bench.

Numerous considerations that go on privately, however the management choose to proceed, it will give the opponents problems.

That has not always been the narrative against the All Blacks, when attention was simply on picking the optimal individual.

This time, whichever fly-half selected will pressure New Zealand under real pressure.

Smith's capacity selecting optimal kicks and execute enabling possible territorial gains can take all the stress off England.