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#Post#: 136425--------------------------------------------------
Marcus Smith is in danger of failing to master fly-half craft
DIR By: Quinto
Date: April 7, 2025, 12:37 pm
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HTML https://www.telegraph.co.uk/rugby-union/2025/04/07/marcus-smith-harlequins-england-fly-half-full-back-no-10/
#Post#: 136435--------------------------------------------------
Re: Marcus Smith is in danger of failing to master fly-half
craft
DIR By: DOK
Date: April 8, 2025, 1:48 am
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In case you fall foul of the paywall.
HTML https://archive.is/nbTwm
"Marcus of all trades, master of none" - like it!
#Post#: 136442--------------------------------------------------
Re: Marcus Smith is in danger of failing to master fly-half
craft
DIR By: EE51TRY
Date: April 8, 2025, 3:06 am
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Really good read, thanks for sharing.
I feel a great amount of sympathy for Marcus currently, what
others seem to want to do with his playing career is very
clearly affecting him at the moment.
He initially seemed to embrace being, what some would describe
as indispensable, and grabbed all of his opportunities with
great zeal, he could turn a game on its head with one great
piece of wizardry and his reputation was growing at a huge rate
of knots both domestically and internationally.
But it all seems to have gone a bit sour for him, the moments of
magic have diminished and you can see in his general demeanour
that the roles that others want him to undertake perhaps no
longer sits as comfortably as it once did.
I hope to God the powers that be and all of those who propose to
know what’s best for players haven’t yet again, potentially
ruined a very talented young man’s view of the game.
It’s been pretty full on for Marcus for the past few years and
it did all happen fairly quickly for him, no Lions would do him
the world of good, hit the reset button, not only for the game
but for himself as an individual, have been fortunate enough to
chat with him on a number of occasions, his passion for the game
is insurmountable, but overall he is a thoroughly nice, polite
and courteous young man who I personally don’t want to see
become disillusioned by what goes on around him.
We need him back firing on all cylinders in a position and a
role that makes him happy, cos a happy Marcus is a real force to
be reckoned with.
#Post#: 136443--------------------------------------------------
Re: Marcus Smith is in danger of failing to master fly-half
craft
DIR By: quinalan
Date: April 8, 2025, 3:15 am
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Just stop the stupid full back experiment & get him back to 10
where he belongs!
#Post#: 136444--------------------------------------------------
Re: Marcus Smith is in danger of failing to master fly-half
craft
DIR By: boroughquin
Date: April 8, 2025, 3:36 am
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I love having him in our side, we know he's so good and can get
even better. I really feel for him as his talent and attitude
has worked against him even though they're both brilliant.
For Quins I do think he's stifled by the current coaching setup
and their strategy. His wings have been clipped in the name of a
low-risk, uninspiring style of play. It would also be fair to
say his level has dropped for us this season too. I'm glad he
signed his contract when he did though as you could see why
right now people's head could be turned away from SW London.
FWIW if I were him I wouldn't have been too pleased with the
first scene of Full Contact on Netflix being him buying a G
Wagon car and then signing a contract with some big shot
American PR firm. Sends out totally the wrong message, that many
will level at him when he's not at his sparkling best.
#Post#: 136445--------------------------------------------------
Re: Marcus Smith is in danger of failing to master fly-half
craft
DIR By: QNSno7
Date: April 8, 2025, 3:40 am
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I was just checking back, and looks like 3rd Jan was last time
Marcus played 80 mins at 10 for Quins. I could be wrong, but
this can't help him or Quins,excluding Leinster obviously.
Haven't looked at 6N yet
#Post#: 136446--------------------------------------------------
Re: Marcus Smith is in danger of failing to master fly-half
craft
DIR By: MaidstoneQuin
Date: April 8, 2025, 3:51 am
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I actually think it would be a blessing not to go on the Lions
tour, as lets face it he wouldn't be trusted with the 10 birth
for the tests at least. He would probably get a jack of all
trades role for the midweek games and that isn't going to help
him, or us for next season.
Would be better if Fin goes, and Marcus goes to Argentina where
he can get some time in his best position.
Be interesting to see how he adapts for the key run in we have
if we want to salvage a poor season.
#Post#: 136450--------------------------------------------------
Re: Marcus Smith is in danger of failing to master fly-half
craft
DIR By: Seequin
Date: April 8, 2025, 5:03 am
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Good article. He does seem to come back from England camps
looking a bit diminished and confused and needing a couple of
games to get going again.
The attacks on him for England with those with an agenda to
promote Fin Smith have been unfair and, frankly, silly at times.
I could see him going to a top side in France where they
appreciate his kind of flair.
#Post#: 136471--------------------------------------------------
Re: Marcus Smith is in danger of failing to master fly-half
craft
DIR By: Mayor West
Date: April 8, 2025, 10:49 am
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That’s one of the problems of being so good a player as Marcus.
Fin Smith can only play 10 so we have to play him there but
Marcus can play 15 so Borthwick can get both on the pitch. Then
Marcus gets little time at 10 internationally and then Quins get
the same idea. I would guess that a head coach gets something in
their mind and can’t back down because it would undermine their
authority. If you’ve got players not happy or don’t believe in
what they are asked to do you’ll never get the best from them.
That’s what happened to Gustard. It must be hard for the players
who are asked to play out of position for England. Imagine
Marcus telling Steve let alone Eddy that he didn’t really like
being at 15. How would that go. Play him at 10 where he is
happiest and in an emergency he could go to 15 or wherever
needed.
#Post#: 136494--------------------------------------------------
Re: Marcus Smith is in danger of failing to master fly-half
craft
DIR By: Banstead Quin
Date: April 9, 2025, 4:32 am
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I think you're right MW, but I never remember us deploying him
as a 15 as a strategy but then all of a sudden there was a media
driven rumour that he'd be a better 15 internationally, because
no one could keep up with him at England. SO the approach,
stifle his natural ability or put into the back field where we
all know all that pace and trickery is blunted as teams have
time to gear up for him.
Imagine him at Toulouse or the Crusaders, they wouldn't be
putting him at 15.
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