Danny Care backs ‘incredible’ Marcus Smith to make mark on Lions tour

Danny Care has tipped “incredible” Harlequins team-mate Marcus Smith to hit greater heights as he bids to make his mark with the British and Irish Lions.

Smith began this year’s Guinness Six Nations as England’s first-choice fly-half before being shifted to full-back and dropped to the bench due to the emergence of rival playmaker Fin Smith.

In preparation for this summer’s series in Australia, the 26-year-old will start Friday’s pre-tour send-off fixture against Argentina in Dublin in the Lions’ number 15 jersey, with namesake Fin selected at 10.

Care believes his long-term half-back partner has been a victim of his own versatility and also suffered at international level due to an underwhelming season for Quins, which concluded with a seventh-placed finish in the Gallagher Premiership after a 62-0 thrashing by Leinster in the last 16 of the Investec Champions Cup.

Fin Smith, meanwhile, helped Northampton finish runners-up to Bordeaux in the European competition following last season’s Premiership title triumph.

“I don’t think he’s got anything to prove,” former England scrum-half Care, speaking of Marcus Smith, told the PA news agency.

“He played in the autumn internationals against some pretty good teams not long ago and everyone was saying he’s England’s best player and he was wearing the 10 shirt.

“Unfortunately, I think Harlequins’ form probably hasn’t helped because we’ve not been playing in the big games, or giving ourselves a chance in those big games this season, whereas Northampton have been playing really well and got themselves to a European final.

Our team to face Argentina in Dublin!