Marcus Smith shares the ‘special’ player every fly half should look up to as their ‘benchmark.’
The fly-half is often seen as one of the most important positions in rugby, and it’s one that Marcus Smith knows really well. Many teams focus their game plans around this role, trusting the fly-half to lead on the field. Players in this position are often the smartest and most skilled in the team.
England fans have been lucky to see some amazing fly-halves like Jonny Wilkinson, Owen Farrell, and Rob Andrew. Smith has probably looked up to these players for inspiration. But he didn’t just learn from English stars—he’s also enjoyed watching greats from around the world like Ronan O’Gara and Dan Carter.
For Smith, one player stood out as the true example for anyone wanting to be world-class: Johnny Sexton. Smith said, “I’ve played against Johnny Sexton a couple of times, and I even swapped shirts with him, which is pretty special. I used to watch all the big tours growing up, like the Lions tours and Six Nations games. Sexton has been one of the best fly-halves in the world. His competitiveness, his drive, and how he pushes his team to be their best is something I really admire. I only fully appreciated it when I played against him.”
Many rugby fans dream of learning from their heroes, though it often seems impossible. But Smith got to live that dream. Last summer, while on tour with the British and Irish Lions in Australia, he had the chance to work closely with Sexton. He made the most of it, learning as much as he could from the player he respects so much.
Smith shared, “I was really excited to learn from him, not just about the mental side but also how to control the game. He helped me a lot with goal-kicking and touch-kicking and let me pick his brain on how he sees the game. He gave me advice on what I can work on, which was an amazing experience. I hope I’ve improved as a player because of it.”