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

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

His courageous approach through regularly completing defensive hits versus a physical Fijian team was impressive.

His tactical control proved exceptional - he demonstrated an excellent balance of skill and composure, while executing several crucial choices during moments didn't proceed to plan during the opening period.

Defensive Excellence and Strategic Leadership

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

From my perspective, Fin Smith represents England's primary fly-half and he should begin against New Zealand this weekend.

I believe the manager Steve Borthwick views it similarly as well, because Fin has demonstrated his capability during important Test matches.

Squad Decisions Amid Rivalry

The experienced fly-half began the previous weekend versus the Wallabies due to captaincy reasons, and part of that decision was to provide continuity while acknowledging his performance during the visit to South America.

However, the national team's performance against Fiji was a significant step up from the performance versus the Wallabies.

The Wallabies were defeated on Italian soil last weekend, so we should avoid becoming overly excited about that victory, which should have been by a larger margin given how below par the Australians performed.

The Fijian team, by contrast, were much more dangerous while offering a much more difficult challenge.

Long-term Potential

The young playmaker is still only twenty-three - projecting forward two years, alongside Ford pushing him but also offering support, I believe Smith will find himself in an excellent place as a player.

Marcus Smith must also be regarded as a possibility when appropriate and against suitable opponents.

He is developing as a player and is starting to find his feet, but he also needs the freedom to show his distinctive qualities.

Bench Impact

The All Blacks introduced Damian McKenzie, who scored the decisive score to beat the Scottish team, demonstrating the significance of having players who can make genuine influence from the bench.

Such type of player might represent the deciding factor separating victory the global tournament from failure.

The All Blacks substitute watches the game develop from the bench and thinks about how to create an impact when he comes on.

His decision-making and error rate have improved substantially since his early career.

Role Discussion

Should we develop Smith as such type of impactful player, then having him among substitutes could be valuable.

However, at the moment I don't think he is the answer at full-back, so that is a role remaining unclaimed.

New Zealand will kick to challenge the English backfield, therefore it must to be watertight.

It is a position that needs to become a genuine asset, both defensively and in terms of the counter-attack danger.

Right now, I believe Smith functions as full-back in top-tier rugby.

I find it difficult to see the benefit of playing him there.

I prefer the ball under his control as much as possible, but I believe this should occur among starters, particularly during the last quarter.

Natural Instincts

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

Smith possesses the capacity executing the correct choices under pressure - his instincts are not something you can really coach.

I remember as he received the ball during one phase just inside his own half appearing that opportunity existed on if they swung it wide.

However during these split-seconds he calculated the team required reversing the opposition since England were leading points-wise, so he kicked it to pin them back and turn the screw.

This represents the type of playmaking that wins championships while claiming global tournaments.

Complete Package

He additionally possesses composure under pressure to organise teammates nearby, while recognizing that he doesn't always need to be the first receiver.

I hope to witness him receiving the chance to show this at elite standards soon, just as we have seen George Ford do, especially at club level week in and week out.

In Argentina, the experienced fly-half similarly excelled during challenging situations, where historically one might suggest there have been times he has not quite delivered in the very highest-pressure matches.

I believe we have playmaking options who can do the role, though Smith's defence combined with everything else, establishes him as the more complete all-round player.

Tactical Setup

This also indicates there's no need to modify the defensive structure when you have an assertive player in the fly-half position, rather than someone who is somewhat passive.

You could also present compelling arguments for Ford starting and Fin Smith coming off the bench.

There are so many factors occurring privately, however the coaches decide to go, this will present New Zealand difficulties.

That has not always been the situation facing New Zealand, when attention was simply on picking the right player.

This time, whichever fly-half selected will pressure the All Blacks significantly.

Fin's ability selecting optimal kicks and execute enabling possible territorial gains might relieve all the stress away from the national team.