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#Post#: 157401--------------------------------------------------
Inside the Harlequins revamp: From 'chasing points' to emulating
Toulouse, how the man who made new All Blacks fly-half
DIR By: boroughquin
Date: September 10, 2026, 8:31 am
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Great new article in the DM. Not sure if this will work...
HTML https://archive.is/20260910060747/https://www.dailymail.com/sport/rugbyunion/article-16117417/Harlequins-revamp-Marcus-Smith-England-academy.html#selection-1265.0-1268.0
#Post#: 157407--------------------------------------------------
Re: Inside the Harlequins revamp: From 'chasing points' to
emulating Toulouse, how the man who made new All Blacks fly-h
DIR By: FrostAndFire
Date: September 10, 2026, 11:56 am
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Re. Marcus Smith: "There’s no reason why he can’t be the No1
fly-half for England and a real force at the World Cup."
Yeah there is. It's called Borthwick.
#Post#: 157409--------------------------------------------------
Re: Inside the Harlequins revamp: From 'chasing points' to
emulating Toulouse, how the man who made new All Blacks fly-h
DIR By: Yareet
Date: September 10, 2026, 2:37 pm
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--- Quote from: FrostAndFire link ---
>
> Re. Marcus Smith: "There’s no reason why he can’t be the No1
fly-half for England and a real force at the World Cup."
>
> Yeah there is. It's called Borthwick.
>
--- End Quote ---
Or, you know, Fin Smith.
#Post#: 157411--------------------------------------------------
Re: Inside the Harlequins revamp: From 'chasing points' to
emulating Toulouse, how the man who made new All Blacks fly-h
DIR By: Quinky
Date: September 10, 2026, 3:33 pm
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"Danny Wilson almost came to blows with a player last year" I
wonder who that was?
"‘We did a bit of a team building trip to Portsmouth’"
Funny, I remember suggesting this a while back on here, and a
number of people poo-pooed the idea.
#Post#: 157415--------------------------------------------------
Re: Inside the Harlequins revamp: From 'chasing points' to
emulating Toulouse, how the man who made new All Blacks fly-h
DIR By: Banstead Quin
Date: September 11, 2026, 3:19 am
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Are you secretly becoming a Saints' fan, Yareet??? 😁
Fin Smith is a good player, no doubt, but he doesn't terrify
defences like Marcus. You see them screaming at each other to
get 2 or 3 defenders near him as with Fin & Ford/Faz, they trust
a 1 on 1. A tactic that England or Quins post 2021 haven't made
enough of.
#Post#: 157420--------------------------------------------------
Re: Inside the Harlequins revamp: From 'chasing points' to
emulating Toulouse, how the man who made new All Blacks fly-h
DIR By: Yareet
Date: September 11, 2026, 5:26 am
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--- Quote from: Banstead Quin link ---
>
> Are you secretly becoming a Saints' fan, Yareet??? 😁
>
> Fin Smith is a good player, no doubt, but he doesn't terrify
defences like Marcus. You see them screaming at each other to
get 2 or 3 defenders near him as with Fin & Ford/Faz, they trust
a 1 on 1. A tactic that England or Quins post 2021 haven't made
enough of.
>
--- End Quote ---
Nope - just someone who doesn't own any quartered specs
😉
I know I'm preaching to whatever the opposite of opposite of a
choir is but IMO there are more metrics I measure my 10 by than
his running ability.
Given the number of tries Saints have scored, clearly Fin has
managed to get a backline moving. I believe he also has a longer
kick from hand and his defence is better.
That's not doing Marcus down or can't do those things but rather
saying that I prefer Fin as an overall package.
#Post#: 157422--------------------------------------------------
Re: Inside the Harlequins revamp: From 'chasing points' to
emulating Toulouse, how the man who made new All Blacks fly-h
DIR By: FrostAndFire
Date: September 11, 2026, 5:29 am
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Fin Smith got really good last season. He's added running to his
other abilities, and last season was the best-performing English
10. I still think Marcus has more talent, but Fin is currently
the best 10 available. Marcus has to actually perform in club
colours before he deserves the shirt back.
#Post#: 157423--------------------------------------------------
Re: Inside the Harlequins revamp: From 'chasing points' to
emulating Toulouse, how the man who made new All Blacks fly-h
DIR By: oakhaven
Date: September 11, 2026, 6:07 am
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One thing I've never really understood is why England moved away
from the Spencer/Marcus axis that had worked so well in the 2024
AIs. That for me was the most threatening England have looked in
recent memory, and sadly I don't think we'll see it again.
That said, Fin is deservedly England's no.1 FH at this stage -
Marcus' game control has improved heaps, but Fin is still the
one I'd want running the game in a niggly encounter against the
Boks, say.
#Post#: 157424--------------------------------------------------
Re: Inside the Harlequins revamp: From 'chasing points' to
emulating Toulouse, how the man who made new All Blacks fly-h
DIR By: boroughquin
Date: September 11, 2026, 6:35 am
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--- Quote from: Yareet link ---
>
> Nope - just someone who doesn't own any quartered specs
😉
>
> I know I'm preaching to whatever the opposite of opposite of a
choir is but IMO there are more metrics I measure my 10 by than
his running ability.
>
> Given the number of tries Saints have scored, clearly Fin has
managed to get a backline moving. I believe he also has a longer
kick from hand and his defence is better.
>
> That's not doing Marcus down or can't do those things but
rather saying that I prefer Fin as an overall package.
>
--- End Quote ---
While I do think Marcus with the right coaching and structure
would be the most effective 10 and could have England playing to
a higher level than with F.Smith, I largely agree with this. Fin
has been brilliant in the last 12 months for Saints and not let
himself down for England. It's clear the current setup suits him
best and it's also true that Marcus was below par last season.
If we're being impartial as Quins fans we can't only think of
Marcus' highlight reel and bemoan others when he doesn't shine.
I'm hopeful the new setup will play to his strengths and that
there is a pathway to be England's first choice Fly Half because
while Fin has been good, he's not nailed his position down
entirely.
#Post#: 157430--------------------------------------------------
Re: Inside the Harlequins revamp: From 'chasing points' to
emulating Toulouse, how the man who made new All Blacks fly-h
DIR By: FatQuin
Date: September 11, 2026, 7:23 am
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I want to know who wanted to stick one on Wilson - and then buy
him a pint.
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