Why couldn’t we see Smith take on Farrell?

Nick Cain

A Premiership that kills its own prime promotional opportunities, like preventing Marcus Smith from playing for Harlequins in a fly-half head-to-head with Saracens’ Owen Farrell, does not deserve to be taken seriously.

Smith did not feature at The Stoop last week because of England’s player rest period, yet Farrell played, as did Billy Vunipola. More inconsistent still, Ellis Genge, who had a longer club and country haul than Smith last season, was given dispensation to start for Bristol the week before.

Smith’s absence robbed us of seeing if Smith could outshine Farrell, and it deprived Eddie Jones of the chance to assess his two top 10s in a cauldron.

What makes it stranger is that Jones was the most influential figure on the panel which made the decision. It would be interesting to know who Jones wanted to protect that it was worth undermining a Premiership fixture.

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