 pays off. In the build-up to his own try towards the end of the first half, the late timing of Smith's inside pass to Cadan Murley opens Sale up, with Smith going over after the following phase. Before the pass you have a handy decoy run from Andre Esterhuizen, t){kind=link}
For England, Smith operates further from the gainline than he does for Harlequins
It is likely to be one of the main topics of conversation across Twickenham’s various car parks and bars before Saturday’s game: why aren’t Marcus Smith and Owen Farrell firing as a partnership? The youngster regarded as one of the English’s game finest talents combined with, at his peak, a world-class performer who coaches and players revere for his ability to set the tone and carry sides to success.
The easy counter-argument is to say, steady on. Smith and Farrell’s partnership is in its infancy, with only five Tests together and just three training sessions last week owing to Farrell’s concussion recovery. With time they can still flourish into a combination which can win England Tests and trophies.
And yet, there is a nagging sense that neither player is quite performing at their best alongside each other, that the system of pairing the two fails to allow either to flourish. Which, with fewer than 10 Tests until the Rugby World Cup next year, feels like an issue which needs addressing.
Asked before the autumn how England’s attack was going to develop over the coming four Tests, the attack coach Martin Gleeson explained that after working on their ball-carrying forwards in the summer, it was the turn of the backs to kick on.