Marcus Smith should learn to play scrum-half and become ultimate utility back

Telegraph

17-02-2025

England will not have taken much from Toulouse picking a load of dirt-trackers for their visit to La Rochelle in the Top 14 in January. But there is a little nugget of information which may end up benefiting them in the future.
Only one, maybe two, of Toulouse's first-choice side started the game. Still, in a show of the French and European champions' astounding depth, they pushed a La Rochelle first string exceedingly close.
The most significant moment that day on the French west coast occurred in the 52nd minute. Ange Capuozzo, the impish Italian full-back, replaced scrum-half Simon Daroque. It was not an injury replacement; the switch was tactical.
That is correct: Capuozzo, the Italy speedster, played 28 minutes at scrum-half for Toulouse. Given the ill-fated history of Italians becoming makeshift scrum-halves – Mauro Bergamasco at Twickenham in 2009 comes to mind – this was a move that might have caused squirms and shudders. Instead, Capuozzo looked composed and controlled, with observers noting his box-kicking accuracy.
Given Ugo Mola's heavy selection rotation, having Capuozzo in the scrum-half shirt was somewhat borne out of necessity. But there was also something more strategic at play, a canny move from Mola, the head coach of a club renowned for their creative, avant-garde thinking.
Antoine Dupont is Toulouse's captain and superstar. If Dupont is starting at scrum-half, he invariably plays for the full 80 minutes. The only reason the great man departs is if he is injured (a rarity) or if the result is totally sewn up – as was the case when Dupont departed in the 49th minute of France's opening-round hammering of Wales last month.
With Dupont unlikely to be replaced – even at the Allianz Stadium, when Nolann Le Garrec entered for France, Dupont slid out to fly-half – having a scrum-half on the bench is wasteful. The spot could be better used with either an extra back or flanker. Paul Graou, Toulouse's usual second-choice scrum-half, has only around 100 minutes off the bench to his name this season.
And that is where Capuozzo comes in. If another player in a match-day 23 is able to cover nine, you do not need a scrum-half replacement. It also massively supports the increasing trend of selecting a six-two split between forwards and backs on the bench or, even, seven-one. Remember that Cheslin Kolbe, the starting wing, was scrum-half cover for South Africa in last year's victorious World Cup final owing to the seven-one split.
So, what does all this have to do with England? In the victory over France, Alex Mitchell played the full 80 minutes, with Harry Randall an unused replacement. Whether Mitchell would have been replaced had Jack van Poortvliet been wearing the No 22 jersey we will never know. The fact remains, though, that Mitchell has become important enough to the English cause that he was not replaced in the tightest of matches, with a gap developing between him and the other scrum-half options.
Just like with Dupont, other than for an injury to Mitchell, there was little reason for Randall to be on the bench. Given how significant replacements have become in the modern-day game, it is generally foolhardy for teams to be carrying substitutes who are not going to play. England had two unused replacements against France – Chandler Cunningham-South the other – but that is rare. Notably, the match-winning try was scored by a replacement, Elliot Daly.
Benches are valuable and with a limit of just seven replacements, versatility – getting as much juice out of the lemon – is crucial. Daly's presence in the No 23 shirt was not because he is necessarily a better player than Tom Roebuck or Freddie Steward but because he can cover three, maybe four positions, and brings a meaty left peg.
England could do worse than to take a leaf out of Toulouse's book and create their own Capuozzo. Someone who already plays two positions excellently, but who has all the attributes to cover a third. Someone like... Marcus Smith.
This is not a call for a full-scale conversion. Smith is excellent at both fly-half and full-back, and his versatility should be viewed positively. But he also has all the attributes which could make him a perfectly reasonable stand-in scrum-half. It might be a breath of fresh air to see him sniping around the fringes and using that ankle-breaking sidestep, too.
If the Harlequin could add scrum-half to his repertoire then England's selection options would increase significantly. For instance, last weekend, with a six-two split, both Daly and another back could have featured on the bench. It remains to be seen how the fly-half landscape for England develops but should Fin Smith retain his spot and George Furbank be restored at full-back, then Smith might find himself in the No 23 jersey. Should such an eventuality occur, then how refreshing it would be for England to be able to select Ollie Sleightholme, Tommy Freeman or Immanuel Feyi-Waboso on the bench alongside Smith – two potential game-changers left out of the starting XV – rather than waste a bench spot on a scrum-half who might not even get on the field.
It is a gamble, of course, but Scotland proved against Ireland that six-two benches are always somewhat of a gamble. Having players on the bench covering as many positions as possible makes the bet more likely to succeed.
Smith, in theory, could become the ultimate hybrid player; something which should not be looked upon with scorn. Austin Healey went on two Lions tours and was famed for his versatility. Capuozzo might also receive similar acclaim, should his scrum-half stint continue. And, who knows, Smith might one day, too?