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In expert analysis, Fin Smith has shown why he deserves the first-choice spot for the national team's fly-half against New Zealand this weekend.

The Northampton Saints star produced without doubt the best defensive performance we have seen from an England fly-half in several years.

How he fronted up by consistently making his tackles against a physical Fijian team was impressive.

His tactical control was also immense - he demonstrated an excellent balance of finesse and control, and made some strong decisions during moments didn't proceed as expected in the first half.

Tackling Prowess and Strategic Command

His capacity to settle the team tactically and make big calls is something he has really mastered.

In my opinion, Fin Smith represents England's primary playmaker and he should begin versus the All Blacks this weekend.

I believe the manager the England coach views it similarly as well, since Smith has proven his capability in big international games.

Team Selection and Competition

George Ford began last Saturday against Australia for leadership reasons, with some aspect of that choice was to provide consistency and reward his performance from the tour of Argentina.

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

The Wallabies lost in Italy on Saturday, therefore we must not get overly excited with that win, which should have been more comprehensive given how off the pace the Australians performed.

Fiji, by contrast, proved significantly dangerous while offering a much more difficult challenge.

Future Prospects

Fin Smith remains just 23 - looking ahead two years, alongside Ford challenging him but also offering backup, I think Smith will find himself in a very strong position in his career.

Marcus Smith must also be considered as a possibility when appropriate and versus the right opposition.

He is developing in his career while beginning to establish himself, though he needs the freedom to show his distinctive qualities.

Bench Impact

New Zealand brought on Damian McKenzie, who registered the match-winning try to beat the Scottish team, and that shows the significance of possessing players capable of creating a real impact as substitutes.

Such type of presence can be the deciding factor separating victory the global tournament from failure.

McKenzie observes the game develop from the bench and thinks regarding ways he can make an impact when he comes on.

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

Positional Debate

If we can get Marcus as that kind influential performer, then having him among substitutes could be beneficial.

However, at the moment I don't think he represents the solution at full-back, making it a role remaining unclaimed.

The All Blacks are likely to punt to challenge the English backfield, so it has to be impenetrable.

It is a position requiring to become a real strength, in defense while regarding of the counter-attack threat.

Right now, I don't think Smith functions as full-back at the highest level.

I find it difficult to see the benefit fielding him in that position.

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

Innate Qualities

There are obviously a lot of parallels between Ford with Smith.

Smith possesses the capacity to make the correct decisions during tense moments - his instincts are not something that can be coach.

I recall when he got possession during one phase just inside his territory and it looked that opportunity existed should they swung it wide.

However during these split-seconds he calculated the team required to turn the opposition since England were up on the scoreboard, so he kicked to pressure the opponents applying pressure.

This represents the type of playmaking that wins championships while claiming global tournaments.

All-round Ability

He additionally possesses composure under pressure directing teammates nearby, while recognizing that he doesn't constantly serve to be the first receiver.

I want to see him receiving the opportunity demonstrating this at elite standards soon, just as we have seen the veteran do, especially at club level repeatedly and week out.

In Argentina, Ford similarly excelled during challenging situations, where historically you could argue there have been times where he didn't fully delivered in the very highest-pressure matches.

I think England possesses playmaking options who can do the role, but with Fin's defence on top of everything else, establishes him as the better-rounded all-round performer.

Defensive System

It also means there's no need to adjust the defensive structure while fielding someone aggressive in the fly-half position, rather than someone who is somewhat reserved.

You could also present compelling arguments for Ford starting with Smith entering from substitution.

There are so many considerations occurring behind closed doors, however the coaches decide to go, it will give New Zealand problems.

This hasn't consistently represented the narrative facing New Zealand, where the focus concentrated solely on selecting the optimal individual.

This time, whichever fly-half they choose will pressure the All Blacks significantly.

Fin's ability to pick optimal kicks while delivering for a potential 50-20 can take all the stress away from the national team.