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According to rugby specialists, Fin Smith has demonstrated why he deserves the first-choice spot as England's fly-half against New Zealand this weekend.

Fin Smith produced without doubt the most impressive defensive performance we have seen by an English fly-half in several years.

How he fronted up through regularly completing his tackles against an aggressive Fijian team stood out remarkably.

His tactical control proved exceptional - he showed a perfect blend of skill and control, while executing several crucial decisions when things didn't proceed to plan during the opening period.

Tackling Prowess and Strategic Leadership

His capacity to calm the squad strategically and make big calls is something he has truly nailed.

In my opinion, Fin Smith represents England's primary playmaker and he should start versus New Zealand next week.

I believe the manager the England coach views it that way as well, because Fin has demonstrated his capability during important Test matches.

Squad Decisions Amid Rivalry

George Ford began the previous weekend versus the Wallabies for leadership reasons, and part of that decision aimed at ensuring continuity while acknowledging his form during the visit of Argentina.

However, the national team's performance versus the Pacific Islanders was a significant improvement from the performance against Australia.

Australia lost on Italian soil on Saturday, therefore we must not get too carried away with that win, which should have been by a larger margin considering how off the pace Australia performed.

Fiji, on the other hand, were much more dangerous and presented a far tougher challenge.

Long-term Potential

The young playmaker remains just 23 - projecting forward 24 months, alongside Ford challenging him but also offering backup, I think Fin will be in a very strong position as a player.

The Harlequins star also has to be considered as an option when appropriate and versus the right opposition.

He is developing in his career while beginning to establish himself, though he needs the freedom to demonstrate his unique attributes.

Bench Impact

The All Blacks introduced their impact player, who registered the decisive score defeating the Scottish team, and that shows the significance of having individuals capable of creating a real impact as substitutes.

That kind of player might represent the deciding factor separating victory the global tournament or not.

The All Blacks substitute watches the game unfold from the bench while considering regarding ways he can make a difference upon entering.

His decision-making and error rate have enhanced substantially since his early professional days.

Positional Debate

Should we develop Marcus to be such type influential player, then having him in the backfield might prove beneficial.

Nonetheless, at the moment I don't think Marcus is the answer at full-back, making it a role that is still unclaimed.

New Zealand will kick to challenge the English defensive line, therefore it must remain impenetrable.

This role that needs to become a real strength, both defensively while regarding of the counter-attack danger.

Right now, I don't think Smith is a full-back in top-tier rugby.

I find it difficult to identify the benefit of playing him in that position.

I want possession under his control frequently, though I think this should occur in the front line, especially during the last 20 minutes.

Natural Instincts

Clearly there exist numerous similarities comparing Ford with Smith.

Smith possesses the ability to make the correct choices under pressure - his natural reactions represent traits you can really coach.

I remember as he received possession during one phase within his territory appearing like it could be on if they swung it wide.

However during these milliseconds he calculated the team required to turn Fiji round as we are leading points-wise, therefore he punted to pressure the opponents applying the screw.

This represents the type of fly-half play that wins championships while claiming World Cups.

All-round Ability

He also has that calmness under pressure directing the players around him, while recognizing that he doesn't constantly serve as primary option.

I want to see him given the opportunity to show that at the highest level next week, just as we have seen George Ford accomplish, especially at club level repeatedly and week out.

In Argentina, the experienced fly-half similarly excelled during challenging circumstances, previously one might suggest occasions existed where he didn't fully done so during extremely tense matches.

I believe England possesses playmaking options capable of performing the job, though Smith's defence on top of everything else, it makes him the better-rounded versatile player.

Tactical Setup

It also means you don't have to modify the defensive structure when you have someone aggressive in the fly-half position, rather than an individual being somewhat passive.

You could also present compelling arguments favoring Ford beginning with Smith entering from substitution.

There are so many factors occurring behind closed doors, but whichever way the management choose to proceed, this will present the opponents problems.

That has not always been the narrative against the All Blacks, when attention was simply on picking the right player.

On this occasion, either playmaker they choose will pressure the All Blacks significantly.

Fin's ability to pick optimal kicks and execute enabling possible 50-20 can take pressure off the national team.