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In expert analysis, Fin Smith has demonstrated why he deserves the first-choice spot as England's fly-half versus New Zealand on Saturday.

Fin Smith delivered without doubt the best defensive display observed by an English fly-half for quite some time.

How he fronted up through regularly completing defensive hits against an aggressive Fiji side was impressive.

His game management was also immense - he showed a perfect blend of skill and control, and made several crucial decisions during moments didn't proceed as expected in the first half.

Defensive Excellence Coupled with Tactical Command

His capacity to calm the squad strategically while making important decisions is something he has truly mastered.

In my opinion, the young fly-half represents England's number one fly-half and deserves to begin versus the All Blacks next week.

I believe head coach the England coach views it similarly too, since Smith has demonstrated his capability in big international games.

Squad Decisions and Competition

George Ford began the previous weekend against Australia for leadership reasons, and part of that choice was to provide consistency while acknowledging his form during the visit of Argentina.

However, the national team's performance versus the Pacific Islanders was a significant step up from the performance versus the Wallabies.

Australia were defeated on Italian soil last weekend, therefore we must not get overly excited with that win, that could have been more comprehensive given how off the pace the Australians were.

The Fijian team, by contrast, proved significantly threatening while offering a much more difficult challenge.

Future Prospects

Fin Smith is still only 23 - projecting forward 24 months, alongside Ford challenging him but also offering backup, I think Smith will find himself in an excellent place as a player.

The Harlequins star must also be regarded as an option at the right time and versus suitable opponents.

He's progressing in his career and is starting to establish himself, but he also needs the freedom to show his distinctive qualities.

Substitute Influence

New Zealand brought on their impact player, who registered the decisive score defeating Scotland, demonstrating the importance of having players capable of creating a real impact from the bench.

That kind of player can be the difference between winning the global tournament or not.

The All Blacks substitute watches the match unfold from the bench and thinks about how he can make a difference when he comes on.

His choices and mistake frequency have improved significantly since his early professional days.

Positional Debate

Should we develop Marcus to be that kind of impactful player, including him in the backfield might prove valuable.

Nonetheless, currently I believe Marcus is the answer in the number fifteen position, so that is a role that is still unclaimed.

The All Blacks will kick testing the English backfield, therefore it must to be watertight.

It is a position that needs transforming into a genuine asset, both defensively while regarding offensive transitions threat.

Currently, I believe Smith is a full-back in top-tier rugby.

I find it difficult to identify the advantage fielding him there.

I prefer possession under his control frequently, though I think this should occur among starters, particularly in the final quarter.

Natural Instincts

Clearly there exist numerous similarities between Ford with Smith.

Smith possesses the ability executing the correct choices during tense moments - his instincts represent traits you can really taught.

I remember as he received possession at one stage within his territory appearing like it could be should they swung it wide.

However during these milliseconds he thought they needed reversing the opposition since England were up on the scoreboard, therefore he punted it to pin the opponents and turn the screw.

This represents the type of fly-half play that wins championships while claiming global tournaments.

Complete Package

He also has that calmness under pressure directing the players around him, and the understanding that he mustn't constantly serve as primary receiver.

I hope to witness him given the chance demonstrating that at the highest standards soon, similar to George Ford do, especially at domestic matches repeatedly consistently.

In Argentina, Ford similarly excelled in difficult situations, previously one might suggest there have been times he has not quite delivered in the very highest-pressure games.

I think we have two fly-halves who can do the job, but with Fin's defensive work combined with everything else, establishes him as the better-rounded all-round player.

Defensive System

It also means there's no need to modify the defensive structure while fielding an assertive player in the fly-half position, instead of an individual being a little more reserved.

One might present compelling arguments for Ford starting and Fin Smith entering from substitution.

Numerous factors that go on behind closed doors, however the management decide to go, this will present the opponents problems.

That has not always been the narrative against the All Blacks, where the focus concentrated solely on picking the optimal individual.

On this occasion, either playmaker selected will pressure New Zealand under real pressure.

Fin's ability to pick optimal kicks and execute enabling possible territorial gains might relieve all the stress away from England.