Smith relishing link-up with Furbank at Quins

MARCUS Smith insists Harlequins can rise from the ashes of last season and new signing George Fur-bank will be one of the catalysts to light up The Stoop.

■By ADAM HATHAWAY

Fly-half Smith knows all about turning fortunes around at the club after helping mastermind Quins’ title triumph in 2021 when they won five out of seven to make the play-offs by the back door.

Last season the Londoners were out with the washing at ninth in the Prem but have been boosted by the signing of full-back Furbank from Northampton.

Furbank and Smith know each other from England duty and the addition of the former Saint as an extra playmaker will take some of the heat off Smith.

Aiming high: Harlequins fly-half Marcus Smith

And Smith reckons that relationship can help kickstart a revival in south west London – and he should know, he has done it before.

The 27-year-old said: “I believe things can change pretty quickly. I was lucky, I was part of a time where we were ninth in the league and changed it within a couple of weeks. So, things are definitely possible. Look at Exeter last season, they were ninth and come top four and another day they win that final.

“I’m excited to have George here. First and foremost, he’s a great bloke, plays with his heart on his sleeve and is always 100 per cent committed. The vision he has outside will massively help us get the attack firing.

“It’s important to have that second pair of eyes outside the fly-half. Having experienced a fair bit myself at 15, I understand when I’ve been frustrated and that potentially could be Furbs getting frustrated if he calls for the ball and he doesn’t get it, then he might get angry at me! But it’s the trust you can build over training hours together and games.

“I’ve played a fair few games with him for England, so I understand how he wants the ball, where his strengths are, and I hope that he does mine as well. Hopefully, we can showcase the best of ourselves.”

Furbank, below, arrived at Quins’ pre-season after a nightmare summer tour with England when bad luck robbed him of an England start – yet again. The full-back has won just 14 caps in six years and has not worn the white shirt since November 2024 thanks to a broken arm, calf trouble and concussions. He was named to start at 15, with Smith on the bench, for England’s opening Nations Championship opener against South Africa at Ellis Park in July but was struck down by appendicitis, operated on on the morning of the game and flew home on the Tuesday, after Smith had started in the 45-21 defeat.

Furbank said: “After the operation I had come to terms with it a little bit more but before it was tough to hear that I was going to miss out again. It was a tough few days in the hotel. It wasn’t too bad because it hadn’t burst, it wasn’t agony. What I told the boys was that it felt like I had really bad, trapped wind. It felt like my stomach was cramping a bit.”