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According to rugby specialists, Fin Smith has demonstrated that he merits the starting position as England's number ten against the All Blacks this weekend.

The Northampton Saints star delivered arguably the best defensive performance we have seen from an England fly-half in several years.

His courageous approach through regularly completing defensive hits versus an aggressive Fijian team stood out remarkably.

His game management was also immense - he demonstrated an excellent balance of finesse and control, while executing some strong decisions during moments were not going as expected during the opening period.

Tackling Prowess and Strategic Leadership

His ability to settle the squad tactically and make important decisions is something he has really nailed.

In my opinion, Fin Smith is England's primary fly-half and he should start versus New Zealand next week.

I believe head coach the England coach views it similarly too, since Smith has demonstrated he can perform during important Test matches.

Squad Decisions Amid Rivalry

The experienced fly-half began last Saturday against Australia for leadership considerations, with some aspect of that decision was to provide continuity while acknowledging his form from the tour to South America.

But England's showing versus the Pacific Islanders represented a marked step up compared to the display versus the Wallabies.

The Wallabies lost in Italy on Saturday, therefore we must not get overly excited with that win, which should have been more comprehensive considering how off the pace Australia were.

The Fijian team, on the other hand, were much more dangerous and presented a far tougher test.

Long-term Potential

Fin Smith is still only 23 - projecting forward 24 months, with Ford challenging him but also offering support, I think Fin will be in a very strong position in his career.

Marcus Smith also has to be considered as an option when appropriate and versus the right opposition.

He is developing in his career while beginning to establish himself, though he requires liberty to demonstrate his distinctive qualities.

Substitute Influence

The All Blacks introduced Damian McKenzie, who registered the match-winning score to beat Scotland, and that shows the significance of having individuals capable of creating a real impact from the bench.

That kind of presence might represent the difference between winning the global tournament from failure.

The All Blacks substitute watches the match unfold while substituted while considering regarding ways he can make a difference upon entering.

His decision-making and error rate have enhanced significantly from his initial career.

Role Discussion

Should we develop Marcus to be such type influential performer, then having him in the backfield could be valuable.

However, currently I don't think Marcus is the answer at full-back, so that is a role that is still unclaimed.

New Zealand will kick testing the English backfield, therefore it must to be impenetrable.

It is a position requiring transforming into a genuine asset, both defensively and in terms of the counter-attack danger.

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

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

I prefer possession under his control as much as possible, though I think this should occur among starters, especially in the final quarter.

Natural Instincts

Clearly there exist a lot of parallels comparing Ford and Fin Smith.

Fin has the ability executing right decisions under pressure - his natural reactions represent traits that can be taught.

I remember when he got the ball at one stage within his territory and it looked that opportunity existed should they spread play.

But in those milliseconds he thought they needed reversing the opposition as we are leading points-wise, so he kicked to pressure them back applying pressure.

That's the sort of playmaking that wins championships while claiming World Cups.

Complete Package

He also has that calmness during intensity to organise the players nearby, 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, similar to the veteran do, especially at club level week in consistently.

During the South American tour, Ford also stood up in difficult situations, previously you could argue occasions existed he has not quite delivered in the very highest-pressure games.

I think England possesses playmaking options capable of performing the job, but with Fin's defence combined with additional qualities, it makes him the better-rounded all-round performer.

Tactical Setup

It also means you don't have to adjust the defensive structure while fielding someone aggressive in the fly-half position, rather than someone who is somewhat reserved.

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

There are so many factors that go on behind closed doors, but whichever way the coaches choose to proceed, this will present the opponents problems.

This hasn't consistently represented the narrative against the All Blacks, when attention was simply on selecting the right player.

This time, either playmaker they choose will pressure New Zealand significantly.

Smith's capacity selecting optimal kicks and execute for a potential 50-20 can take pressure away from England.