The Smith conundrum that hangs over England

Marcus Smith (left) has 39 England caps to Fin Smith's six

Men's Six Nations: Ireland v England

Venue: Aviva Stadium Date: Saturday, 1 February Kick-off: 16:45 GMT

Coverage: Listen live on BBC Radio 5 Live; text commentary and highlights on BBC Sport website and app; watch on ITV1.

New year, age-old problems.

Steve Borthwick has spent early 2025 chewing over questions that have tormented coaches across all sports and eras.

Does he pick form-market movers - such as Tom Willis - or put a higher price on the delicate understanding between more-established names?

How much does he stick to a philosophy - such as an ultra-aggressive blitz defence - if the personnel can't live up to the ideal?

And do the elite actions of captain Maro Itoje or the passionate words of predecessor Jamie George better lead his side in the fray?

When he named his team for against Ireland though on Tuesday, there was one stark choice which could not be avoided - Marcus Smith or Fin Smith?

Ultimately it wasn't a surprise that he opted for the former at fly-half. Marcus was England's best player in the autumn, Fin is a Test rookie.

But Borthwick's call is unlikely to be the end of the debate either.

With England facing their two toughest opponents in the opening two rounds, this stand-off shoot-out could be a defining Six Nations saga.

Marcus Smith delivered the stand-out moment of England's last campaign, with a last-play drop-goal that snatched victory over Ireland at Twickenham in March.

That replacement appearance, his first Test of the year, was the start of a sparkling run on the international stage.

With George Ford injured, the 25-year-old assumed the 10 shirt for the summer tour and was the brightest point in a drab autumn for England.

Smith's matador trickery makes him a running threat to rival the best wings.

Among players representing top-10 Test nations last year, only New Zealand's Mark Tele'a, France's Damian Penaud and Scotland's Duhan van der Merwe beat defenders more regularly than Smith's average of 4.5 per 80 minutes.

His game-breaking ability has been central to England's attack.

He was involved in 12.7% of England's tries in 2024 - a number that eclipses New Zealand's Beauden Barrett and most others in the international game, and is all the more impressive considering Smith didn't start a single Six Nations match.

Part of Borthwick's mission has been to create a team that excites England fans.

And no-one has done that better than Smith.

When the team was announced to Allianz Stadium in the autumn internationals, his name was cheered loudest.

When fans thought Borthwick was preparing to replace Smith against Australia, their jeers almost matched those decibels.

So, where is the doubt? Where is the duel?

While Marcus Smith has been excellent, results haven't been.

In the seven matches that he started at 10 last year, England won only two - both against Japan.

Meanwhile, Fin Smith is a precocious understudy.

The 22-year-old plays flat, picking passes and poking holes while close enough to the defensive line to sniff a potential tackler's pre-match snack.

He steered Northampton to the Premiership title last season, marshalling a backline that includes fellow England internationals Tommy Freeman, George Furbank and Ollie Sleightholme.

If selected, he and Saints' team-mate Alex Mitchell would form a pre-baked half-back partnership.

While Marcus Smith often operates with a gain-line battering ram at 12, Fin Smith's usual inside centres - Rory Hutchinson or Fraser Dingwall - more closely match the playmaker skills of Henry Slade, England's current occupant.

Many of Marcus Smith's best moments have come in pockets of space that open up behind the backline or after multiple phases - the sort of opportunities that are often easier to access from full-back.

Could the moving parts of the puzzle need another nudge?

In Marcus Smith might England have found their virtuoso soloist, but lumbered him with the conductor's baton as well?

Dingwall was England's starting 12 in the first two rounds of last season's Six Nations

As a former England age-grade team-mate of Marcus, Dingwall has played outside both Smiths.

"They are very different players, but have both have some really good strengths," he told BBC Radio Northampton's Saints Show.

"Fin's ability to bring everyone into the game is really impressive and he is bringing out more and more of his running game.

"Marcus has this natural ability to break lines and take people on himself. He sees opportunities slightly differently to Fin. Fin will do it as a unit, while Marcus has the ability to do it on his own, which is very impressive.

"If I was to play with Fin, I know that he would allow everyone else to come into the game. Playing with Marcus you are probably thinking more about how you can create opportunities for him."

Dingwall went on to explain how Fin's finest abilities are perhaps too subtle to make most showreels.

"I think his ability to see space for others is the cool thing," he added.

"He finds soft shoulders for other people. He might square up at the line to bring someone else into the game or use someone on his shoulder to manipulate a defender and give a team-mate space further along the line.

"Essentially he makes decisions based on what the defence is showing him when he has the ball in hand, picking off space in between defenders through timing of the pass and driving at the line."

Slade, who will start at 12 in the Aviva Stadium, has a similar assessment; there is a lot more improvisation in the script when playing alongside Marcus Smith.

"Marcus attacks in a different way to most 10s really," Slade told Rugby Union Weekly.

"He's obviously a talented runner himself so if he sees something he's got to drop what preconceived idea he had just go with it and react."

Marcus Smith's versatility is the curiosity in the equation. He insists he is a fly-half, but has been picked at full-back regardless. None more so than by Borthwick.

Smith started at 15 three times in England's Rugby World Cup campaign in France.

The performance that might stick most in Borthwick's mind though followed his drop-goal heroics against Ireland.

Marcus Smith has been an influential part of England's attack during 2024

After seven minutes away to France in Lyon last year, full-back Furbank limped off with a tweaked calf, with Marcus Smith trotting on to replace him.

The Harlequins playmaker scored a try - with a superb support line and step - and then set up another, coming in at second receiver outside Ford to put Freeman into the corner.

Smith isn't a complete full-back.

His tackling is better than his critics suggest, but his appetite for contact isn't always matched by execution.

In Lyon, he was caught out in the wide channels. Against Australia, he bit in on Len Ikitau, allowing Max Jorgensen to streak away for a game-winning score.

At 5ft 9in tall, he will never command the air like Freddie Steward either.

Yet backfield might turn out to be where he can sprinkle stardust most effectively.

Victories over Ireland and then France would cement him at 10.

Ford, a cool hand in the heat of battle and far from done at 31, could well force his way back into contention.

Borthwick might decide that Fin's time as a starter is a season or so away.

But the Smith conundrum is certainly not solved for good.