England fly-half Marcus Smith determined to remain grounded after stepping on to Six Nations stage

Marcus Smith may have set the Guinness Six Nations ablaze through his dazzling exploits for England but he is still happy to act as Manu Tuilagi’s tea boy.

Smith’s debut Championship campaign has so far produced a dynamic try against Scotland shortly before his perplexing early substitution and an electrifying man-of-the-match performance as Italy were swept aside in Rome.

And while he is set to direct Tuilagi when Wales visit Twickenham on Saturday week, he knows his place in the off-field hierarchy after sharing a room with the powerful Sale centre during England’s pre-autumn training camp.

“I’m still doing the tea round and I’ll be having a cup of tea with Manu. And a shortbread if we are lucky!” Smith said.

“When I roomed with Manu out in Jersey we had a lot of tea nights together. I obviously made them, he was on his bed playing chess.

“I think it’s massively important. It’s a way of bonding together as a team, which is important for us as this new group of England.”

A stellar start to his international career began with his first and second England caps in July before being summoned by Warren Gatland to join the Lions tour of South Africa.

“I arrived late on the tour and you’ve got do your work. On drinks nights and stuff like that, myself, Louis Rees-Zammit and Tom Curry – because we were the three youngest – had to serve the boys the drinks.