T here is something very English about fly-halves being hung out to dry in the rain. England did not lose this match because of Marcus Smith, rather they were thumped by a fabulous France team who ruthlessly exposed the limits of Steve Borthwick’s side and gave an exhibition in how to handle the heavens opening.
Still, the cold hard facts are that Smith did not deliver the statement performance he was expected to and England’s fly-half debate rages on.
The biggest call of Borthwick’s tenure to date can unequivocally be called the most damning of failures. All the more so when you consider that the No10 most suited to this kind of match – George Ford – was sent back to his club five days previous and you have to question Borthwick’s decision to let Smith do the same a week earlier.
Smith is not the first abundantly talented English fly-half to find himself in this position. Five years ago in Cape Town, Danny Cipriani was finally handed the No10 jersey and encouraged to run the show in a monsoon.