Northampton Saints fly-half Fin Smith has admitted that dropping down England’s pecking order this autumn has been a difficult and emotional experience. The 23-year-old, who made his England debut against Italy in the 2024 Six Nations and has won 13 caps to date, spoke candidly about the mental challenges of losing his starting position after a strong Six Nations and a British and Irish Lions tour this summer.

From Six Nations Hero to Autumn Bench

Smith first started for England in February during a thrilling 26-25 win over France and retained the coveted 10 jersey throughout England’s Six Nations victories against Scotland, Italy, and Wales. His performances earned him a spot on the Lions tour to Australia, but the autumn internationals saw George Ford preferred in three of four matches, with Marcus Smith’s versatility often edging him onto the bench.

“It was a tough few weeks mentally,” Smith told BBC Radio Northampton’s Saints Show.
“You go in with such high expectations, having done well in the Six Nations and gone on the Lions tour, and then getting your head around a few of the selection things—it does sting. It is hard to take. I have absolutely loved how good it feels to wear the England 10 shirt; having that taken away from you does hurt.”

Honest Communication With Coaching Staff

England assistant coach Kevin Sinfield acknowledged during the autumn series that balancing three talented fly-halves is always challenging.

Smith praised the honest communication from head coach Steve Borthwick regarding selection decisions:

“[Steve Borthwick] always has a meeting with you to tell you where you are at with selection and why he has gone with what he has. I always have my side of things and put my opinion forward, but he is ultimately the one that picks the team. It is not that I have played badly; it is just that sometimes in sport people get an opportunity and take it—George absolutely did that, particularly in that All Blacks game. It was tough for me to go in and ask why I am not the one getting picked after that. I still absolutely believe in myself, so I just have to keep at it.”

Lions Tour Lessons and Life Experiences

Despite frustrations with his playing time on the Lions tour, Smith described the experience as unforgettable. He started the pre-tour match against Argentina in Dublin but found it challenging to displace first-choice 10 Finn Russell during the Test series. Marcus Smith and Owen Farrell were often preferred on the bench.

“As a life experience it was amazing in terms of some of the memories I made and the people I met. It was just a great group of people,” Smith said.

He also enjoyed bonding with players he usually faces as opponents. James Ryan, his roommate on the tour, proved to be unexpectedly affable and humorous.

“I thought James Ryan was going to be very different to me. Playing against him, he is a bit nasty, but he is very intelligent, has a dry sense of humor, very funny. I got on with him very well.”

While Smith didn’t dwell on Northampton’s Champions Cup semi-final victory over Leinster, coach Richard Wigglesworth often reminded him, much to the player’s amusement:

“We didn’t mention it very much, but our coach kept bringing it up. He thought it was hilarious. I didn’t mind too much being reminded.”

Looking Ahead

Despite the challenges of losing his starting role, Smith remains determined to reclaim his position in the England setup. With consistent communication from coaching staff and belief in his own abilities, the young fly-half is focused on proving himself both for Northampton and on the international stage.