SMITH GETS PROTECTION RACKET
Eddie issues Raducanu warning
MARCUS SMITH was urged to learn from the experience of tennis golden girl Emma Raducanu after living up to his star billing.
A dazzling cameo from the new darling of English rugby brought five tries in 20 minutes and confirmed the young fly-half’s readiness for the tougher Tests ahead this month.
In the packed bars and food outlets around Twickenham, his was the name on everybody’s lips.
Eddie Jones spoke about him too, as he dissected his team’s 11-try display with next Saturday’s clash against Australia very much in mind.
Not to join in the mass eulogy to a 22-year-old who has already won a Premiership title and played for the Lions.
Rather to caution him – and his admirers – against getting carried away and risking a promising start being buried beneath an avalanche of hype. “The big thing for good young players is distractions,” said Jones. “Marcus is grounded, but they all start out grounded.
“No one starts with their feet off the ground or they don’t get in the team.
“But there are a flood of distractions which come in which can make them ungrounded.
“Those could be exposure they get in the media, the praise, the criticism. There can be agents who see this guy as the next big thing.” Jones cited the example of Raducanu, who won her first Grand Slam event at the age of 18 in New York in September.
“There’s a reason why the young girl who won the US Open hasn’t done so well afterwards,” he said.
“What have you seen her on – the front page of Vogue and Harper Bazaar, or whatever it is, wearing Christian Dior clothes. All that is a distraction around her. It might not be to that degree with Marcus, but potentially it could be.”
Jones says the guidance Smith gets from England, his club Harlequins and his parents is vital “so he can keep impressing as a rugby player”.
This is Jones being proactive, anticipating an issue which does not yet exist in the hope of defusing the very possibility.
For in 28 minutes off the bench Smith showed that he has what it takes to start against Australia, whatever role he ends up being assigned given Owen Farrell’s surprise availability.
ENGLAND - Tries: Radwan, George (2), May (2), Itoje, Youngs (2), Smith, Blamire, Mitchell. Cons: Slade (2), Smith (5).
Takulua.
No one starts with their feet off the ground