Daley grind has helped Smith in search for speed

MARCUS Smith has been completing sprint sessions with British Olympic great Daley Thompson in his effort to become one of the sport's finest playmakers

- DUNCAN BECH

The England back has developed into the side's fastest player over short distances due to his searing acceleration, which has been on full display since his shift from fly-half to full-back at the World Cup.

The electric 24-year-old has made a series of influential cameos off the bench and also shone in his only start in the full-back position against Chile, producing a superb solo score as part of a two-try haul.

Smith reveals his pace is the result of sessions with Thompson, the two-time Olympic decathlon gold medallist, as he looks to emulate two famed New Zealand ringmasters.

"For the last five or six years I've been working hard on my speed," Smith said.