Marcus Smith proves he can knock teams to the canvas for Eddie Jones

Not the knockout blow Eddie Jones was seeking when urging his side to channel Muhammad Ali but mercifully it is always a safe bet Marcus Smith will float like a butterfly when afforded this much time and space. Italy’s 34th consecutive Six Nations defeat will not live long in the memory but this could yet prove to be a seminal moment in Smith’s England career.

The 22-year-old is destined for a long and prosperous run in the No 10 jersey and already you sense England’s World Cup hopes next year will largely hinge on Smith’s form. His performance here is significant in that regard because this was the first time that Jones has truly given him licence to showcase his full array of attacking talents, the first occasion where it has felt like he has his head coach’s total trust.

To illustrate, it was the 28th minute when Smith hoisted a high kick down the middle of the field to be contested. When he made his debut last summer against USA it was the very first thing he did but here, with the lively Harry Randall inside him, with Harlequins teammates Alex Dombrandt and Joe Marchant rarely far away, Smith was given the freedom of Rome by Jones.

Short of a battering ram at inside-centre – the role that André Esterhuizen performs so well for Harlequins – while Manu Tuilagi gets back up to speed, Jones gave Smith all the ammunition he needed to “light up Rome”. His determination to run with the ball, to play with his head up was evident throughout and it was little surprise that he got the ball rolling with the opening try.

Maybe the best compliment to be paid to Smith is that it does not bear thinking about how England might have performed had he not been on the field. Indeed, Jones rarely bows to external pressure but it felt