The Making Of Marcus Smith

Is his talent innate or hard-earned? We trace the journey of the Harlequins and England star

- NEIL SQUIRES

ARCUS SMITH is the pin-up playmaker who has lit up the English game since being fast-tracked to train with the national team while still a schoolboy at Brighton College.

There is no one quite like him in the Gallagher Premiership, where he is a phosphorescent presence at stand-off for Harlequins. His performance in their recent Champions Cup win against Glasgow, when he scored a solo try and set up two more in a Man of the Match display, was typical of the exceptional contribution he makes every week.

Likewise, he offers England a different dimension in terms of the flair he brings at No 10 or as a full-back super-sub.

The debate will continue to rage over whether he should be given the keys to the England castle for the long term, but one thing is for certain – the game is better for the magic of Marcus.

We asked the people who know him best what makes him the unique talent he is. Here’s what they had to say…

The Godfather 

Paul Smith, a close pal of Marcus’s dad Jeremy from their time working in Hong Kong, is one of his three godfathers

“Marcus’s mum and dad met in Hong Kong. They got married and moved to the Philippines, where Suzanne is from and where Marcus was born. 

“Jeremy has always been rugby-mad – he played for the Hong Kong national team – and he helped set up a club in Manila, which was where Marcus started playing. He was a natural sportsman.